Actor-turned-politician Vijay on Thursday unveiled the manifesto of his party, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, outlining an ambitious welfare-focused agenda aimed at women, farmers and vulnerable sections.
Positioning the document as a departure from conventional political promises, Vijay said the manifesto was rooted in “honest administration” and urged voters to compare it with those of rival parties. Taking a direct swipe at the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), he alleged that mainstream parties were releasing hurried manifestos filled with recycled promises. “We will not mislead like Stalin. Others are only repackaging the same ideas,” he said, accusing established parties of lacking ideological distinction and functioning as “corrupt groups”.
Rs 2,500 for women, 8 gram gold for brides and more
At the core of TVK’s pitch are expansive welfare measures. The party has promised a monthly assistance of Rs 2,500 for women, along with marriage support for indigent brides that includes 8 grams of gold and a silk saree. It also pledged interest-free loans of up to Rs 5 lakh for women-led self-help groups and an annual assistance of Rs 15,000 for mothers to help prevent school dropouts.
For farmers, TVK has proposed a complete waiver of cooperative crop loans for those owning less than five acres, alongside a minimum support price of Rs 3,500 per quintal for paddy. In the health sector, the manifesto promises insurance coverage of up to Rs 25 lakh per family, the establishment of modern hospitals, annual free health check-ups and a commitment to a “drug-free Tamil Nadu”.
On education, Vijay announced plans to establish 100 special residential schools named after former chief minister K. Kamaraj and offer higher education loans of up to Rs 20 lakh.
Vijay’s electoral politics debut
Vijay made his much-anticipated electoral debut by filing nominations from two constituencies – Perambur in North Chennai and Tiruchi East in Tiruchirappalli. Both of these are considered traditional DMK strongholds. The choice of these seats is widely seen as a calculated, high-risk, high-reward political strategy ahead of the April 23 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls.
Perambur is the largest constituency in Chennai by electorate size, with approximately 2.21 lakh voters. It carries enormous symbolic weight as it borders Chief Minister MK Stalin’s own Kolathur constituency.
Vijay’s second constituency, Tiruchi East, is located in Tiruchirappalli, one of Tamil Nadu’s major urban centres with a significant minority and working-class voter base. Here, he faces incumbent DMK MLA Inigo S Irudayaraj. Like Perambur, Tiruchi East is a minority-heavy urban seat, reinforcing TVK’s outreach strategy toward communities that have traditionally backed the Dravidian alliance.