DMK's Udhayanidhi Stalin, AIADMK's Palaniswami Both Flag Essential Commodity Price Rise in Assembly

Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin of the DMK moved a calling attention motion in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on August 28 over the rise in prices of essential commodities; AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami separately raised similar concerns the same day.

Udhayanidhi said onion prices had risen from about ₹40 a kg in May to about ₹80, and toor dal from about ₹120 to about ₹160, and that prices of essentials such as rice and cooking oil had climbed sharply since the TVK government took office. He called for a special consultative meeting involving the chief minister and the food minister to find a lasting solution.

Palaniswami said the price rise had severely affected ordinary people, pointing to increases in items including rice, sugar, turmeric, chillies, jaggery, tamarind, pulses and edible oil, and urged the government to take immediate steps to protect poor and middle-class families.

Both opposition leaders pressed the ruling TVK government to act on the affordability of essential commodities.