AIADMK Deputy Leader of the Opposition R.B. Udhayakumar raised concerns in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Friday. He pointed out the rise in essential commodity prices and questioned why the Pongal prize was only ₹3,000, when Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin had earlier demanded ₹5,000 during the AIADMK tenure. "They just added ₹100/year and gave ₹3,000 for Pongal [this year]," he said. He also asked if laptops are being distributed to college students ahead of the Assembly polls. In response, Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar asked if the AIADMK government had handled the price rise. Food Minister R. Sakkarapani highlighted the improved rice quality. PWD Minister E.V. Velu said that per capita income had gone up, noting, "An increase in per capita income is often accompanied by increase in prices. The overall income of a family has increased." Mr. Udhayakumar countered, "He is saying that the people’s buying power has increased. What I am saying is that the price of essential goods has increased. During Amma’s administration, whenever there was a rise in price, a separate fund of ₹100 crore was created to stabilise the prices." Minister for Co-operatives K.R. Periyakaruppan added that the fund is still in use today. On crime, Udhayakumar alleged rising cases show a failure in law and order. Minister Sivasankar defended the government, accusing the previous AIADMK government of "State-sponsored terror" after 18 killings in Thoothukudi. He added most crimes in the state stem from personal enmity. Law Minister S. Regupathy said, "Tamil Nadu is the only State that is reporting fewer incidents of crime in India." On laptops, he questioned giving laptops to graduating students and said, "The students in Tamil Nadu had lost many opportunities in artificial intelligence and information technology in the last four-and-a-half years." Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu explained, "We announced the scheme for students who were already in their final year. But, from next year, the cycle would be corrected and laptops would be given to first-year students. Only for this year have we distributed them to final-year students so as not to disappoint them."