Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday embarked on a 1-week trip to Germany and the United Kingdom to secure industrial investments to the state.
Speaking to reporters, Stalin said the visit’s purpose was to attract investments and sign new pacts and that he would return home on September 8.
"After the DMK assumed office in 2021, so far, 10.62 lakh crore investments have been attracted, 922 MoUs signed, ensuring job opportunities to 32.81 lakh persons," he told reporters, adding that most projects are in the completion stage and several companies have started production.
Recalling his visits to US, Spain, Japan, UAE and Singapore, the CM said it resulted in a total of 36 investment pacts worth Rs 18,498 crore, ensuring jobs to 30,037 aspirants.
"Out of these 36 MoUs, 23 are in various stages of implementation. In continuation of such visits, I am going on a visit to Germany and England," he said, adding that he would brief journalists on his return on the investments secured.
Asked on the main opposition AIADMK's criticism over his trips abroad and questions it has been raising on the benefits to the state due to such visits, Stalin asserted that pacts made on investments have fructified.
Whether new parties join the DMK alliance or not, new voters are coming towards the DMK, he said, answering a question on the Assembly election slated to be held in March-April next year.
Reacting to vote theft allegations vis-à-vis the Election Commission of India in Bihar, he said Tamil Nadu has the prowess to beat any conspiracies in this respect. "What Election Commission thinks will not happen in Bihar," he asserted adding the EC has only helped usher in a resurgence among the people over the matter.
To a question on an opinion poll, the CM said the DMK alliance will secure a huge victory in the 2026 Assembly election and "there is no doubt about it." When asked on actor Vijay's political foray, and the CM so far not expressing any opinion, Stalin said: "There is no need to say anything."
On Vijay's recent assertion that the 2026 Assembly election would be a contest between only his party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam and the DMK, the chief minister said: "I do not talk much. There is no need for me to talk on this matter. The talent should be shown in action by talking less."
With regard to economic growth and opposition criticism, the CM said: "To those who raise questions on growth, the central government's data serves as proof."
Days ago, Stalin had said: "The talk of the town, the talk of the nation is this; under our Dravidian model regime, Tamil Nadu's economic growth has increased to 11.19 per cent and that is the joyous news. Tamil Nadu's economic growth has touched a new high."
The CM had further said: "We are not saying this. As per the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation's revised estimates, during 2024-25, Tamil Nadu has achieved 11.19 per cent growth."
Further, the CM had said the state was witnessing such an impressive growth after 14 years, once again during the DMK regime.
Such a growth was approximately 2.2 per cent higher than what was estimated in the Tamil Nadu Budget presented early this year.