Jobs, empowerment and more: Unpacking manifestos in poll-bound states

From cash transfers to welfare schemes, women voters dominate poll strategies across five states, with parties competing to secure this electoral bloc

As has been the case in recent Assembly elections, women are at the centre of the manifestos of the ruling parties and alliances as well as their principal rivals in poll-bound Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu (TN) and West Bengal (WB). 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Centre has convened a special three-day session of the Parliament to amend the Women’s Reservation Act — days before TN and WB go to polls. The Congress has said that the special session, from April 16 to 18, is with the intent to influence these elections. 

Women as a distinct voting group have been crucial in the poll-bound Assemblies. In the 2021 TN polls, despite an adverse gender ratio, there were more women (31.94 million) than men on its electoral rolls, and they also voted in greater numbers with 23.19 million women turning up to cast their votes as against 22.58 million men. The turnout of women was also better than that of men in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry and WB in 2021.

 

Tamil Nadu 

Women are at the heart of the manifesto of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), TN’s ruling party which leads the Secular Progressive Alliance for the 2026 Assembly polls. It has promised to double the women welfare support amount to ₹2,000 under its Kalaignar Magalir Urumai Thogai if it were to return to power. Currently, 13.1 million receive the monthly support. In another outreach attempt, the DMK has proposed the ‘Illatharasi scheme’, under which it will provide coupons worth ₹8,000 for the purchase or replacement of household appliances, such as washing machines, refrigerators, induction stoves, and mixer-grinders. “This money will be spent in local shops, support small businesses and will keep the economy moving,” a DMK spokesperson said. In Tamil, ‘Ilatharasi’ means ‘queen of the house’ and refers to a woman head of the family. 

Other promises in the DMK manifesto include expansion of its free breakfast scheme for school students up to class 8; monthly support to college students to be increased to ₹1,500; free laptops to 3.5 million college going students over next five years;  and skill training for half a million youth who will receive a ₹1,500 monthly stipend upon enrolment and completion of six-month training under the Naan Mudhavalan scheme. The M K Stalin-led party has committed to bringing in ₹18 trillion foreign investment, and to create 5 million jobs over five years. It has also promised ₹3,500 per quintal paddy procurement price, ₹4,500 per tonne sugarcane procurement price, and free modern electric pump sets without any meters to more than 2 million farmers receiving free electricity. 

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which leads the 12-party NDA in the state, has promised a one-time grant worth ₹10,000 to every family to help manage tax burden and rising prices. It has also promised free refrigerators for all rice family ration cardholders and three free LPG cylinders per year to eligible households; a monthly assistance of ₹2,000 to female heads of families through a proposed ‘Kula Vilakku’ scheme; and Amma two-wheelers to half a million working women with a subsidy of ₹25,000.

 

Assam 

In Assam, the ruling BJP has promised to increase the monthly amount given to women beneficiaries under the ‘Orunodoi’ scheme to ₹3,000 per month from the present ₹1,250 in a phased manner; increase the daily wages of tea garden workers to ₹500; provide an annual support of ₹11,000 to small farmers; and two free LPG cylinders in a year. The manifesto, which Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled last week, states that the party, if it returns to power, will recover encroached land from “infiltrators” and bring in a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state. 

Meanwhile, the Congress has promised to grant the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six indigenous communities in its manifesto. Assam’s Moran, Motok, Chutia, Tai-Ahom, Koch-Rajbongshi and Tea-Tribes communities have been demanding ST status for many years, which the BJP had earlier promised. Further, the principal opposition party also has ‘five guarantees’, which include cash transfers to women. It has promised that large land allocations (of over three acres) to corporate groups will be investigated, and land will be reclaimed and redistributed if necessary. Additionally, it has promised “justice” to singer Zubeen Garg within 100 days of forming the government.  

 

Kerala 

Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF)’s manifesto has promised to eliminate absolute poverty; raise welfare pensions to ₹3,000; and boost jobs and investment. The Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led alliance has also pledged to increase women’s workforce participation to 50 per cent, expand skill training, and attract ₹2 trillion in investments over five years.  Further, the manifesto has promised the introduction of menstrual leave in government-linked institutions. 

In its manifesto, the Congress, which leads the United Democratic Front (UDF), has promised free bus travel for all women in state-run buses; ₹1,000 monthly financial assistance for college-going girl students; a hike in welfare pension to ₹3,000 per month; and interest-free loans up to ₹5 lakh for the youth to start businesses. 

The BJP-led NDA in its manifesto for Kerala has promised a monthly pension of ₹3,000 for women over 70 who need assistance; two free LPG cylinders each year for poor households; and the protection of places of worship. It has also promised 20,000 litres of free water for every household. It has said its government will order a time-bound enquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged theft of gold at the Sabarimala temple. 

In Kerala, all alliances have promised to introduce welfare schemes and increase pensions for the elderly. The state’s ageing population comprises 16.5 per cent, the highest in the country.

 

West Bengal 

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in WB has promised to create one million job opportunities in the next five years, in response to criticism from opposition parties over its failure to boost industrialisation. Additionally, it has announced a monthly financial assistance of ₹1,500 under the Banglar Yuva Sathi scheme to educated unemployed youth aged 21 to 40 years, until they secure employment.  The TMC’s principal promise is a ₹500 hike in the ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme from ₹1,000 for women from the general category and to ₹1,700 for Scheduled Caste and ST beneficiaries. 

The BJP’s Bengal manifesto is also focused on monthly stipends for women and youth.

 

Puducherry 

Alliances have also announced women-centric promises in Puducherry.