Chennai: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today clarified that investors and businesses were not moving away from Tamil Nadu to the neighbouring states, despite sops like free land, promised to them by the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. She said that Tamil Nadu continues to be a favoured investment destination.

“For a business to be profitable in a state, the first requirement is law and order, which is in the best shape in Tamil Nadu. Secondly, when it comes to electricity, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are buying power from us,” she said.

A debate ensued in English between the Chief Minister and DMK’s TRB Raja. When the issue turned towards Chennai Metro Rail, Jayalalithaa asked why the DMK government of 2006-11 gave the orders to manufacture the railway coaches to Andhra Pradesh. To defend his party, Raja asked her why she was opposed to the Metro Rail project.

The Chief Minister replied that instead of answering to her pointed question, Raja was making “irrelevant” remarks.

Jayalalithaa then went out to say that certain terms and conditions in the Metro Rail contract, signed by the DMK, were against the interests of Tamil Nadu. She pointed out, as an example, the provision that the Tamil Nadu government will have to repay the entire debt to the Japanese company, but the state and the centre will share the profits.