The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has become a bone of contention between the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu. The two parties are at odds over the allocation of funds for the scheme, with the DMK accusing the BJP-led central government of withholding funds. The MGNREGS, a flagship welfare program aimed at providing livelihood security in rural areas by guaranteeing 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work, has been a point of contention between the two parties for some time now. The DMK has alleged that the BJP government at the center has not released adequate funds for the scheme, resulting in delays in wage payments to workers in Tamil Nadu. On the other hand, the BJP has refuted these claims, stating that the funds allocated for the scheme have been released on time and that the state government is responsible for the delays in wage payments. The war of words between the two parties over the MGNREGS funds has escalated in recent weeks, with both sides trading accusations and counter-accusations. The scheme, which was introduced in 2005, aims to enhance the livelihood security of rural households by providing employment opportunities. It remains to be seen how this dispute between the DMK and the BJP will impact the implementation of the MGNREGS in Tamil Nadu.