Congress Unveils Manifesto Ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections
Ahead of the Tamil Nadu assembly elections on April 23, the Indian National Congress has launched its manifesto, outlining ambitious plans for the state. Key proposals include a Universal Basic Income of ₹2,000 per month for families, a commitment to recruit 40,000 new police officers, and initiatives aimed at making Tamil Nadu rabies-free by 2030. The elections are expected to see a fierce contest between the DMK-led alliance and the AIADMK-led coalition, with Congress contesting 28 seats. The entry of actor Vijay into the political arena adds another layer of competition.
Apr 9, 2026, 18:15 IST
Congress Launches Election Manifesto for Tamil Nadu
As the Tamil Nadu assembly elections approach on April 23, the Indian National Congress (INC) released its manifesto on Thursday, aiming for transformative changes in the state. The unveiling event featured Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, and the state Congress president K. Selva Perunthagai. The manifesto outlines a commitment to bring about significant improvements in employment, public safety, healthcare, and law enforcement.
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Among the key promises in the election document is the introduction of a Universal Basic Income (UBI), where the party pledges to provide ₹2,000 monthly to each family, with direct cash transfers to women's bank accounts. This initiative will encompass all ration card holders across the state. Additionally, the Congress has set a strict timeline to tackle unemployment, vowing to fill 300,000 government positions within 300 days and to publish a list of vacancies by department for transparency. They also plan to create a clear recruitment calendar for better job clarity.
Public safety is a focal point of their manifesto, which includes plans to recruit 40,000 new police officers, including 10,000 female commandos. The party has also committed to establishing a world-class call center that integrates police, fire, child assistance, and ambulance services, with a unified emergency number, Dial 100. Furthermore, they aim to position Tamil Nadu as a global spiritual tourism hub by promoting historical worship sites, providing multilingual guides, and organizing heritage tourism events.
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On the health front, the party has pledged to make Tamil Nadu rabies-free by 2030 through 100% vaccination and sterilization of dogs, alongside improving infrastructure to ensure pothole-free roads and aiming to reduce fatalities from road accidents to nearly zero. Voting will take place in a single phase on April 23 across the state's 234 seats, with vote counting scheduled for May 4. The main contest is anticipated to be between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which includes the BJP and PMK as allies. The Congress will contest 28 seats under its alliance. Actor-turned-politician Vijay is also set to enter the electoral fray with TVK, potentially making the competition triangular.