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Tamil Nadu Industries Minister S Keerthana has alleged that 25 major investment projects worth approximately Rs 3.3 lakh crore shifted out of the state to seven other states during the DMK government’s five-year tenure up to May 2026.

Speaking to The Federalthe minister claimed this “exodus” resulted in the loss of over 2 lakh employment opportunities for Tamil Nadu’s youth. She made the remarks while responding to allegations that investments are shifting to Andhra Pradesh after the TVK government took over.

Investment row heats up

“No project has left Tamil Nadu in the last 40 days since our government assumed office,” Keerthana said. She offered to present detailed company-specific evidence in the Assembly to substantiate her claims.

The accusations come amid heightened political tensions following the 2026 Assembly elections, with C Joseph Vijay securing a convincing win against the DMK and AIADMK.

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Apart from verbal battles over politics and governance, the DMK and the TVK have been fiercely debating the state’s economy and industrial growth. The Opposition DMK has accused the fledgling TVK administration of failing to retain industries, citing recent corporate commitments in Andhra Pradesh.

In response, the TVK government has highlighted “policy and administrative shortcomings” during the DMK’s rule that allegedly drove investments away to states including Gujarat, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh.

Keerthana rebuts charges

Keerthana directly addressed several high-profile projects cited by the Opposition, including the Apollo Tyres expansion plans Royal Enfield facility in Andhra Pradesh. She emphasised that several marquee projects shifted to BJP-ruled states during the DMK era, accusing the previous regime of delays in land allocation, clearances, and governance issues

A review of project timelines suggests that many of the contested investments had been committed to other states well before the political transition.

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Meanwhile, the TVK administration has already announced a Rs 18,600-crore agreement with Larsen & Toubro. Keerthana says the TVK government will aggressively pursue new investments through faster clearances, policy stability, and investor-friendly reforms.