The actor-turned-politician has finally been sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after a stellar debut in the recently held assembly elections. Vijay’s party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, created history by effectively ending the six-decade-long duopoly of the two main Dravidian parties in the state – the DMK and the AIADMK.
Now that Vijay is at the helm, all eyes will be on how his government delivers on its pre-poll promises. TVK’s manifesto focused on what it called “people-centric” welfare, aimed at significant economic support for women, farmers and youth to ensure “Vettri Tamil Nadu” (successful Tamil Nadu).
Read also | PM Modi congratulates Vijay on being sworn in as Tamil Nadu CM
Key promises included ₹2,500 monthly assistance to women, 200 units of free electricity, full loan waiver for small farmers and 75% local employees.
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The TVK manifesto includes promises such as ₹2,500 per month assistance to women heads of families, 200 units of free electricity, complete farm loan waiver for small farmers and 75% local employment. Other promises include six free LPG cylinders per year, gold and silk sarees for marriage and education loans up to ₹20,000.
The new government’s projected annual expenditure on social security or gratuity is estimated at nearly ₹1,000,000. This is an increase of over 52% from the ₹65,000 crore spent by the previous DMK government on similar programmes.
CM Vijay said that the state was saddled with a debt of over ₹10 lakh crore and that the state treasury was completely emptied. It plans to publish a white paper detailing the state’s financial situation for the period 2021-2026.
The culture of election promises or “freebies” in Tamil Nadu politics has evolved from welfare measures such as subsidized food to more extensive promises such as free televisions, laptops, bus travel and financial assistance. Rival parties often compete for such promises of welfare.
The Supreme Court has expressed concern that free services may lead to unemployment among people and are a fiscal burden. The Chief Electoral Commissioner also highlighted the need for legal responses to curb the freedom of announcements by political parties during election campaigns.
Soon after assuming office, Vijay unveiled five key announcements aimed at implementing his election commitments. The first was a scheme offering 200 units of free electricity to domestic consumers in each billing cycle, albeit with conditions attached. Under this scheme, only households that consume up to 500 units during a two-month billing cycle would be eligible for the concession.
The announcement drew criticism on social media, with detractors claiming that Vijay had promised 200 units of free electricity to all consumers during the campaign but had now introduced eligibility restrictions.
‘Freebie’ culture of Tamil Nadu
Election promises are not new in India. And in fact, the election promise culture, also referred to as, has evolved over the decades into one of the defining features of Tamil Nadu politics, with rival parties competing through sweeping promises of welfare and consumer handouts.
What started as welfare measures like subsidized food and school meals under MG Ramachandran (founder of AIADMK) later expanded to free televisions, mixer-grinders, laptops, bus travel, financial assistance and electricity subsidies under leaders like J Jayalalithaa (AIADMK) and M Karunanidhi (DMK).
Distribution of Pledges in TVKScheme Pledge Beneficiary Annual Cost in CroresSourceMadhippumigu Magalir Thittam1.57 million crowns ₹2500/month ₹47,100 TN GovtLPG cylinders 1.85 million households 6/year at ₹900 each ₹9.9902011 Census Youth Internship5 Lakh/yr
Graduates of ₹10,000/month
ITI/diploma at ₹8000/month
5,400ManifestoHealth Insurance1.5 Cr familyPremium at ₹16,981,274 Government data Unemployment grant 10 thousand ₹4,000/month 4,800 government surveys Farmer income support 79.4 million households ₹15,000/year 11,910 agricultural census
Proponents say the programs have improved living standards, increased access to education and reduced poverty, while critics describe them as fiscally burdensome populism designed to secure votes.
The Supreme Court comments for free
The debate reached the Supreme Court. Last February, the Supreme Court addressed the freebie culture and said that people are not willing to work because they get free ration and money. The Supreme Court said that free provision leads to unemployment among people and an attempt should be made to integrate the homeless into mainstream society so that they are able to contribute and work.
“Unfortunately, because of these freebies… people are not willing to work. They are getting rations for free. They are getting amounts without doing any work,” Justice BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih said while hearing a petition for right to shelter for the homeless in urban areas.
In January of the same year Chief Election Commissioner(CEC) Rajiv Kumar highlighted the need for “accepted and legal answers” to curb “free” proclamations by political parties during election campaigns.
“Our proforma is on our website. It is high time that it is accepted and legal answers are found, but at the moment our hands are tied as it is a sub-judicial proceeding,” Kumar said when asked while announcing the dates for the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections.
Read also | Chief Minister Vijay: TVK government finally sworn in in Tamil Nadu
In early 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that freedoms promised in opinion poll statements had distorted the electoral process and asked the Election Commission to draw up guidelines to verify this after consulting political parties.
Debate aside, the Vijay-led government will still need significant funds to deliver on its promises. How much would it cost the exchequer?
₹1 million crore for the welfare budget
The new government’s projected annual spending on social security, or free spending, would come close ₹1 million crore, according to an analysis by Indian Express. This would represent an increase of more than 52 percent ₹65,000 crore was spent by the previous MK Stalin-led DMK government on social programs and subsidies in FY 2025-26.
TVK’s projected expenditure on its social programs is equal to approximately one-third of Tamil Nadu’s total revenue ₹3.31 lakh crore as per the state budget for 2025-26, an Indian Express report said.
This would put a huge burden on the state budget, which carries a debt of 26% of GDP.
TVK’s manifesto does not indicate how its government would generate new revenue. “By reducing the mounting debt burden, raising revenue without imposing any additional tax on the people, ensuring efficient and prudent expenditure and creating new sources of revenue, Tamil Nadu will be transformed into a financially self-sufficient state,” the manifesto said.
Here is a list of major promises made by TVK
Madhippumigu Magalir Thittam: Monthly help ₹2,500 to all female heads of families up to 60 years of age. This excludes the families of state and central government employees.
Annapoorani Super Six Scheme: Each family receives six LPG bottles per year for free.
Annan Seer Thittam: For the marriage of “our sisters”, eight grams (one sovereign) of gold and a fine silk saree will be provided as a “brotherly gift from the bride’s family”.
Education Assurance Scheme: Unsecured education loans up to ₹20 lakh will be guaranteed for students studying from post-Class 12 to PhD.
Unemployment assistance for young people: Financial assistance will be provided to youth seeking employment, s ₹4000 per month for graduates and ₹2,500 per month for diploma holders under youth social initiative.
Vettri Skill Training Provision Scheme: Each year, 5 million young people will be provided with scholarship training in cooperation with private companies. Graduates will receive ₹10,000 per month, while ITI and diploma holders will get ₹8,000 per month, funded by the state government.
-AND ₹A state credit guarantee fund of 15,000 million crowns will be created to revive small and medium-sized enterprises facing financial difficulties.
– 35% direct capital subsidy (up to ₹50 lakh per unit) to support industrial modernization.
