Tamil Nadu temples should not be managed by state govt, says Nirmala Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at News18's 'Chaupal’ event

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said temples in Tamil Nadu should be managed by devotees and not by the state government.

“Wherever temples are with governments, it should ideally be left to the devotees. It should be managed by well-wishers in the place rather than be kept under the government’s control,” said Sitharaman in a conversation with Network 18 Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi at News18's "Chaupal" event.

Speaking about the possibility of an alliance with the AIADMK for the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, the finance minister said the BJP brass will take the call. “The central party takes call on alliances for both state and Lok Sabha polls,” she said.

While the BJPfailed to win any seat in Tamil Nadu in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it managed a vote share of 11.3 per cent on its own.

Attacking Rahul Gandhi

In an indirect dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, she also accused Opposition leaders of allegedly speaking against India during their foreign trips.

“I thought the outcome of the 2024 (Lok Sabha) election was that the government of the day will have to get going with a lot more work. The Opposition was given more numbers and a higher stature to sit in the Opposition and do their job. But, they got excited and went around the world making false claims about the country. Even Mrs Gandhi wouldn’t do it,” she said.

Targeting Gandhi over his remarks in the US that the 2024 general elections in India were not “free and fair”, the FM said that one expects a certain degree of seriousness one would expect to associate with the Leader of Opposition.

“However, the LoP still thinks that he can be careless and get away with whatever he says. That is not the case,” she said.

She also clarified that there is no coalition pressure on the Narendra Modi government during its third term and it would continue to undertake bold reforms.

“Bold reforms will continue. No need for any apprehension. Like we had done systemic reforms and welfare schemes for the people, we will continue to do so,” she said.