AIADMK leader and former minister Thangamani attacked the Tamil Nadu government in the state assembly, accusing it of failing to secure Google’s investment for Tamil Nadu. He said it was disappointing that despite Google CEO Sundar Pichai being a Tamil, the company chose Andhra Pradesh over Tamil Nadu for its new project. He claimed this reflected poorly on the DMK government’s ability to attract major investors to the state.
In response, Tamil Nadu Minister for Industries TRB Raaja defended the government’s record, saying Tamil Nadu continues to attract major global investments. He pointed to Foxconn’s new investment worth ₹15,000 crore, which is expected to generate thousands of jobs. Raaja clarified that Foxconn operates through multiple subsidiaries and that only one division had opted out of a Tamil Nadu project, not the entire company. He argued that the opposition was deliberately spreading misinformation and said, “Foxconn has many branches and departments. One of them has said they aren’t investing in Tamil Nadu. It doesn’t mean Foxconn investment itself is false.”
The minister dismissed claims that the government failed to pursue Google’s investment, stating that business negotiations involve multiple factors, many of which cannot be disclosed publicly. He added that under the DMK government, 14,000 engineering jobs had already been created through industrial partnerships and new MoUs. Raaja urged opposition parties to stop mocking the state’s industrial development efforts, arguing that such statements could discourage investment and affect employment opportunities for the youth.
In a related development, the political opposition in Karnataka has also criticised the Congress-led government there, alleging that its focus on the ongoing ‘Socio-Economic and Educational Survey’ has diverted attention from core development priorities. The Janata Dal (Secular) accused the Siddaramaiah administration of neglecting Bengaluru’s deteriorating infrastructure, poor road conditions, and irregular water supply, claiming these factors are driving businesses away from the city and damaging Karnataka’s investment reputation.
