Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday accused the Union government of rejecting proposals to construct metro rail networks in Coimbatore and Madurai on “flimsy grounds.”
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, on November 14, returned the project proposals, stating that the population of the two cities, according to the 2011 Census, does not meet the required criteria for a metro network, reported The Hindu.
As per the last Census, Madurai has a population of 15 lakh, while Coimbatore is home to 15.8 lakh residents. The Metro Rail Policy of 2017 specifies that a city must have a population of 20 lakh or more to be eligible for a metro rail system.
In a social media statement on Wednesday, Stalin said the Union government “exists to serve people without bias,” but alleged that the BJP was using political considerations against Tamil Nadu.
“Yet the Union BJP treats Tamil Nadu’s democratic choice as a reason for revenge,” he said. “Granting metro projects to smaller Tier II cities in BJP-ruled states while depriving Opposition-ruled states is a disgraceful approach.”
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader emphasised that Tamil Nadu, the “land of self-respect,” will not accept any distortion of federal principles.
Stalin also accused the Centre of attempting to stall the Chennai metro project, noting that the state government had “overcome those malicious attempts.” He added, “With the same determination, we will secure the metro rail that Madurai and Coimbatore need for their future growth. Tamil Nadu will fight! Tamil Nadu will win!”
The accusations come months ahead of the state Assembly elections, expected in April or May 2026.
The statement coincides with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Coimbatore on Wednesday to inaugurate the South India Natural Farming Summit. During the visit, he will also release the 21st instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, an income-support scheme for farmers.