Tamil Nadu leader K Annamalai has taken a swipe at Chief Minister Joseph Vijay’s recent UK trip, asking why he chose to visit a “dead” economy to seek investments for the state.
In an X post, Annamalai described the UK as a dead economy, saying the growth of the United Kingdom is only 1% and investments in the UK are being made by Indian companies, including Mahindra.
“Chief Minister Mr Vijay has returned from London after attracting investments. The growth of the United Kingdom is only 1%. The investments there are being made by our Indian companies, including Mahindra,” he wrote.
The former BJP leader, who founded ‘We The Leaders’ after quitting the party, suggested that instead of travelling to the UK, Vijay should travel within the state and meet industrialists.
“…Therefore, instead of the Chief Minister travelling abroad, incentives should be provided to our industrial companies in cities including Coimbatore and Madurai, and they should be encouraged to make investments,” he wrote.
முதலீட்டை ஈர்ப்பதற்காக லண்டன் சென்று வந்துள்ளார் முதலமைச்சர் திரு விஜய் அவர்கள். இங்கிலாந்து நாட்டின் வளர்ச்சியே 1% தான். அங்கு முதலீடு செய்வதே, மஹிந்திரா உள்ளிட்ட நமது இந்திய நிறுவனங்கள்தான்.
எனவே, முதலமைச்சர் வெளிநாடு செல்வதை விட்டுவிட்டு, கோயம்புத்தூர், மதுரை உள்ளிட்ட… pic.twitter.com/el2GI7lFsL
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) September 20, 2026
Annamalai further noted that the Indian economy (at around $4.1 trillion) is larger than the UK’s $3.4 trillion economy.
“Today, India is a country with a $4.1 trillion economy, while the UK has a $3.4 trillion economy. Why go to that country with such a large delegation from here? What is the point of all this?” Annamalai asked.
Read | Back From UK Visit, Vijay Flaunts Big Investments, Opposition Says “Optics”
Chief Minister Vijay last week returned from Britain after a week-long visit that the state government says has brought investment proposals worth Rs 15,300 crore and the potential to create more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The government has projected the visit as part of its larger effort to position Tamil Nadu as a global investment and industrial hub, with a long-term target of taking the state’s economy to $1.5 trillion by 2036.
The investment proposals span automobile components, research and development, manufacturing, renewable energy and Global Capability Centres.
Meanwhile, Vijay has also come under attack from Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Udhayanidhi Stalin, who mocked him for relying on “cinema-style punch dialogues and acting” instead of answering real governance questions.
Udhayanidhi claimed that whenever Vijay speaks in the Assembly, he avoids direct answers and instead delivers theatrical, punchy one-liners meant for cameras rather than debate.
He further added that Vijay waits for cue-like moments, looking at where the cameras are, and using dramatic movie-style dialogue delivery.
