Delhi trying to place a new ‘product’ on the shelf: TRB Rajaa on Vijay

Your party is already talking about a Dravidian Model 2.0 government. Would this election be an easy fight?

The Opposition is splintered, and we have done a fantastic job. Our Chief Minister (M.K. Stalin) has given the best of governance. Every section of society — from the aged to youngsters, women, and transgender persons — everyone has seen growth over the past five years.

What do you think of actor C. Joseph Vijay’s entry into politics – a large number of youth seem to be supporting his party, TVK?

You see, Tamil Nadu is a market where FMCG [Fast-Moving Consumer Goods] companies often test their products before introducing them across India. I think Delhi [the BJP] is trying to place a new “product” [Mr. Vijay] on the shelf — but people have seen through it. And I don’t think there are any takers for the product in a big way. Of course, there may be newbies who are fond of new products, but not the masses. Tamil Nadu is an ideology-driven State. Even in my village, every house has an ideological drive and they stick to it. The DMK has told people what we are, what we have stood for, what we believe – especially standing against Delhi. Tamil Nadu will never ever be under the control of Delhi.

You have hit a hat-trick at Mannargudi – winning three elections since 2011 (2011, 2016, and 2021). What really worked for you?

It is the DMK that has won three times. In 2011, I was a newbie, so what worked then was the ideology. It was the DMK’s ideology that won in Mannargudi. Only when people understand what a party stands for can such a drastic shift be seen compared to the rest of the State. Later, I proved through hard work and by engaging with the cadre on a daily basis. As Arignar Anna (former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai) said, “Go to the people, live among them, learn from them, and then do what is right.” We stuck to that. 2016 was another major replay again. They (people) know the work we did during the Covid pandemic and Cyclone Gaja. A forty-year dream of having an underground drainage system came true – around ₹200 crore-worth development work is happening in Mannargudi. We have used IIT-Madras. At least 30% of the work has been completed and the roads have been re-laid. We have also created a new bus stand within the town itself. Everyone is aware of the Needamangalam railway overbridge — several people have lost their lives while waiting at that railway crossing. The State’s part of the project has been completed, and the Railway side is now pending. We have laid roads across rural areas, ensuring connectivity to all villages. We have spent ₹16 crore on the renovation and beautification of the Rajagopalaswamy Temple.

What have you done for the constituency – in terms of education, sports, tourism and providing basic amenities to the common man?

On the education front, there had long been a request for a women’s college — we have got it done, and the first academic year has already started. Next year, we will construct a separate building for the college. A large indoor sports stadium is now coming up in Mannargudi, and we are also working on several infrastructure projects related to sports. The Vaduvoor Bird Sanctuary has been designated as a Ramsar site, and we are taking steps to promote birdwatching.

We also interacted with people in your constituency to understand their concerns. One thing they pointed out was that the “industrial opportunities are limited” and being the Industries Minister, you have not taken enough projects to Mannargudi. Why hasn’t Mannargudi seen more investments?

I don’t think my people would have said that. First of all, this is an agricultural zone. The first SIPCOT textile park in Tamil Nadu is now coming up in Mannargudi. It will provide around 2,000 jobs, especially for women. Even this project faced opposition from a few politically motivated individuals. The Chennai Silks is setting up a major unit there, with an investment of about ₹50 crore. Garments produced here will be exported to H&M. Some people are also spreading misinformation that these projects will cause pollution. These are just tailoring units — which tailoring shop causes pollution?

Mannargudi is known for agriculture — farmers here have some concerns each year. They protest regarding paddy procurement. What steps have you taken to address these issues? And strengthen farmers income?

There has been no water shortage in the past five years. Mannargudi has never seen this level of focused planning when it comes to farmers’ welfare until we took over. I’ll tell you why. We now have the highest number of DPCs (Direct Procurement Centres) in Tamil Nadu. I was part of the State Planning Commission for the first two years, which gave me the leverage to push for the necessary infrastructure for paddy storage. I was the first to test a new dryer, and also implement drone spraying in Mannargudi. All these interventions are aimed at helping farmers protect their crops and add value. We have taken steps to ensure proper storage of paddy, with the capacity now increased to nearly 100,000 tonnes. Last year, we had a bumper crop — there was a problem of plenty.

There has been criticism over the Regional Investors Meets held across Tamil Nadu, with the Opposition claiming they attracted mostly smaller, lesser-known firms rather than major investments. How do you respond to this?

Even the Hyundai investment came during the Regional Investors’ Summit. What is their problem if our own MSMEs grow? They say I shouldn’t bring in the hotel industry — but the food industry is one of the best service industries for generating jobs. For us, the focus is on employment. They question why we signed an MoU with Junior Kuppanna. Why shouldn’t we sign with them? If McDonald’s does it, they remain quiet — if I sign with them they are fine. How are our brands any lesser? They are setting up central kitchens and investing ₹200–₹300 crore. I cannot provide only high-end jobs; I must also consider unskilled and semi-skilled workers. In places where we are unable to attract manufacturing jobs, we focus on services. We organised a tourism conclave precisely for this reason — to give a strong push to the hotel industry. We have to support homegrown businesses.

Industrial land costs is increasing day by day — How do you justify rising land prices when States like Gujarat and Telangana are offering cheaper alternatives?

That is why we have SIPCOTs (State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu). And we ensure that industries are offered discounts on land. That said we should not be overly concerned about land prices, because we compensate with talent and ease of doing business — which is the most critical factor. No other State in India can match the ecosystem that Tamil Nadu has built. The extensive localisation of products and the supply chain that has already happened — and is happening and will happen in future — will always offset higher land costs. Going forward, we have identified land requirements through SIPCOT, and we are also moving towards vertical development in a big way. After 2021, we have taken massive investments to the southern districts, including Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanniyakumari. Madurai is booming, and Tiruchi has so many SIPCOTs that have opened up. Look at the distributed growth we are enabling. The idea is to ensure that rising land prices in Chennai do not become a problem. By opening up more areas and destinations for investment, land prices are not going to be a problem.