A multi-party battle is on for the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly and parties have released their manifestos to woo voters. Leading the pack with her “superstar” manifesto, the incumbent — the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) — promised free coupons for women, infrastructure projects and the fight against the imposition of Hindi. Its main rival — the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) — has promised a slew of benefits for all — women, students, the differently-abled, senior citizens, fishermen, weavers and transgender people.
The first to release its manifesto was Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) which went solo in all 234 locations. The Tamil Nationalist Party, which has yet to win a seat since its formation in 2010, has vowed to prioritize women’s representation in the assembly and parliament. Other areas of focus are water management, climate resilience and welfare systems for fishermen, farmers and unorganized workers.
Actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which will make its star debut this election season, has made a lot of promises to the youth of the state rather than issuing a manifesto. 29 March 2026 TVK promised unsecured education loans, incentives to companies that hire at least 75% Tamil workers, monthly support for students, unemployed graduates and to support “creatives”.
Here’s a comparison of their promises for different industries:
Women
Since the 2021 Tamil Nadu assembly polls, the focus on women-centric programs has been a major point in the state’s polls, wooing voters and providing financial freedom to India’s largest minority — women.
Following up on its promise in 2021, the DMK has pledged to increase its monthly stipend under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai from ₹1,000 to ₹2,000. It has complemented it with the Illatharasi scheme, which offers all “non-income tax payers” a voucher worth ₹8,000 to purchase any electronic appliances including washing machines, refrigerators, blenders, grinders, ovens, induction cookers and televisions. The DMK also promised a subsidy of ₹ 1.5 crore to women and transgender persons to purchase new electric/CNG/LPG powered cars.
Like the DMK, its rival AIADMK has also promised a monthly cash transfer of ₹2,000 to women. In addition, women can avail of free bus rides, refrigerators, sewing machines, subsidized two-wheelers, interest-free loans to minorities to start businesses and financial assistance to purchase gold for weddings (Thalikku Thangam scheme).
Education
Focusing on students, the DMK and AIADMK promised free laptops, while the TVK and AIADMK offered interest-free/secured student loans, a monthly stipend of ₹2,000 and 75% job reservation for Tamil students. With an expenditure of ₹200 crore, the DMK is committed to modernizing laboratories in all government colleges by 2030 and has a vision to make Tamil Nadu a zero dropout state.
The AIADMK has promised to expand horizontal reservation for government school students in admissions to medical courses from 7.5% to 10.5% and include a student curriculum on climate change.
Free of charge
Across sectors, classes and professions, all parties pledged financial assistance. Compared to 2021, the DMK has scaled back its promises of free gifts and is promising scholarships to senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and fishermen. However, the AIADMK has expanded its list of beneficiaries, promising to pay every family holding a ration card, fishermen, the elderly, widows, transgenders, weavers and other Thai Pongal hurdles in addition to the Pongal subsidy. TVK monthly stipend is limited to youth – unemployed graduates, ITI and diploma holders.
Apart from direct cash transfers, the AIADMK also promised free installation of rooftop solar panels up to ₹2 kW, interest-free loans for unorganized workers and PWDs, three free gas cylinders per year to families, subsidized and tax-free fuel for fishermen. TVK has promised to deliver services that generate 5 million jobs with a salary of ₹18,000.
Industry and infrastructure
The manifesto of the DMK as the ruling party promised lots of social programs to boost various industries and new infrastructure projects. The proposed schemes include — ₹ 5 crore fund for People’s Welfare Board, support for skill development, textile industry, small and medium enterprises, milk production, foreign investment in the state and acquisition of global intellectual property for licensing to domestic manufacturers.
On the agriculture sector, both the DMK and the AIADMK have promised to increase procurement rates for paddy and sugarcane. The DMK’s promises focus on investments – a ₹100 crore fund to support agricultural research, the creation of a ‘Product of Tamil Nadu’ brand, a ₹2,000 crore mega agriculture project and the creation of 5,000 new businesses in rural areas to wean off agriculture. Similarly, TVK has designed a digital promotion campaign for Tamil Nadu culture by working with 1.5 lakh ‘creatrepreneurs’.
The AIADMK paints a contrasting picture and has doubled the financial assistance, promising a production subsidy of up to ₹15,000 per hectare and an accident insurance of ₹25,000 for fishermen.
As part of infrastructure, both DMK and AIADMK promised free accommodation for Sri Lankan Tamils, a cargo terminal in Thoothukudi, desalination plants in every district and conversion of all city buses to electric. DMK has promised to set up an export cell, global cities near Tiruchi, Madurai, Coimbatore and Salem and modernize ports in Nagapattinam and Cuddalore.
AIADMK’s infrastructure promises are mostly limited to Chennai – Satellite Software Park, Medical Tourism hub, Pharmaceutical Park and Tech City. But it has promised to build police hospitals and multi-storied apartments in Madurai, Coimbatore, Tiruchi, Tirunelveli, Salem and Vellore, textile parks in Aruppukottai and Ettayapuram and open 200 Amma Mini clinics.
Relying on the BJP, its partner at the Centre, the AIADMK has promised to complete projects such as the Sarabanga irrigation scheme, the Nagapattinam-Thoothukudi-Kanyakumari four-lane expressway, the Coimbatore railway and Madurai metro projects
Other
Both DMK and AIADMK have made broad statements such as protecting the rights of religious and linguistic minorities and opposing Hindi imposition.
The AIADMK has again vowed to hedge its bet on the BJP to facilitate “dual citizenship” for Sri Lankan refugees living in rehabilitation camps and on the Chennai High Court bench.
While the DMK remained confused about the imposition of prohibition, the AIADMK promised to close state-run liquor shops “gradually” and the TVK promised to “curb drug use”.
Elections to all 234 seats will be held on 23 April 2026 and counting of votes will take place on 4 May 2026.
