As Tamil Nadu prepares for the 2026 Assembly elections, the DMK government led by M. K. Stalin is facing uncomfortable questions on state finances — from within its own alliance. Congress leader Praveen Chakravarty has sparked a political storm by claiming Tamil Nadu carries the highest debt among states, drawing sharp rebuttals from Tamil Nadu Congress MPs and pushback from the DMK. The Bharatiya Janata Party has seized the moment to attack the government. With elections approaching, the ally-versus-ally spat has turned into a political embarrassment for the ruling DMK.