Chennai, Feb 1 (PTI) The Union Budget for 2025-2026 was 'biased' in completely ignoring Tamil Nadu and betrayed the expectation of the people, Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Saturday.

Despite putting forth several demands to it, the Centre did not seem to have the heart to confirm atleast one demand and announce it in the Budget, he said.

"The demands are numerous ... highways and railway projects, Coimbatore and Madurai Metro Rail projects. Why nothing has been given? What is stopping you?" Stalin asked in a post on the social media platform X.

Terming the Union Budget as 'prejudiced' in so far as Tamil Nadu was concerned, the Chief Minister said even the name Tamil Nadu was not mentioned.

Tamil Nadu occupied a prominent place in all the reports of the Union Government including the Economic Survey, Ranking of Higher Education Institutions, and the NITI Aayog report, and they all praised the state's activities. "But why is Tamil Nadu completely ignored this year in the Budget?" Stalin, who is president of DMK, asked.

"Should not the financial allocation reflect at least a small part of the interest shown by the Centre in imposing its language policy on Tamil Nadu much against the state's wishes?" the Chief Minister asked in the post.

He argued that a reduction in central funding increased the financial burden on the state government. The Centre has already imposed various restrictions on Tamil Nadu alone.

"The BJP's charade of deceiving the people of India, as usual, through empty rhetoric and deceptive overtones, continues. If schemes and funds are announced only for election-bound states or BJP allies-ruled states, then what is the need to call it a 'Union' Budget? #BudgetBetrayal #Budget2025," the Chief Minister said. PTI JSP ROH

Budget bias in allocation alleged, prompting claims of political discrimination and increased state financial burden. The Budget is alleged to exhibit budget allocation bias against the state through omission of requested project and sectoral funding, absence of explicit reference to the state, and apparent prioritisation of election-bound or allied states. Reduced central allocations and central restrictions are claimed to increase the state's fiscal burden and undermine equitable fiscal federalism.