Tamil Nadu Elections 2026: DMK campaign picks up as Kanimozhi unveils Coimbatore plans

Coimbatore: Kanimozhi Karunanidhi of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Sunday expressed strong confidence in the party’s victory in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026, promising an expanded focus on welfare schemes and infrastructure development if re-elected.

Addressing a public gathering, Kanimozhi outlined a series of DMK election promises, including the distribution of laptops to 3.5 million youth, the construction of 1 million houses, and an increase in old-age pension to Rs 2,000. She also pledged enhanced financial assistance of Rs 2,500 for persons with disabilities and higher procurement prices for paddy and milk, targeting both farmers and rural households.

Development projects announced for Sulur constituency

Highlighting local development, Kanimozhi announced several infrastructure projects in Sulur constituency, including:

• A new textile park to boost employment.
• Worker hostels to support industrial labour.
• A government hospital at Sencherimalai.
• Cold storage facilities for agricultural produce.
• An international-standard indoor stadium.
• A new ring road to improve connectivity.

These projects are aimed at strengthening Coimbatore’s industrial and economic growth, a key focus area in the DMK’s regional strategy.

Women-centric welfare schemes take centre stage

Kanimozhi emphasised that women’s welfare schemes in Tamil Nadu have been a cornerstone of governance under M K Stalin. She cited the monthly Rs 1,000 financial assistance scheme for women as a major initiative that has enhanced economic independence and household stability.

She also highlighted flagship programmes such as the Pudhumai Penn scheme and the school breakfast scheme, noting their impact on improving access to education and nutrition for women and children.

If re-elected, the DMK government plans to:

• Extend the breakfast scheme up to Class 8.
• Increase women’s financial assistance to Rs 1,500 per month.

Kanimozhi pointed to strong participation by women at the rally, stating that it reflected growing women voter support for DMK and confidence in the party leadership.

Also Read| DMK vs. AIADMK: Top 6 election promises you need to know

Focus on youth development and education

On youth empowerment, Kanimozhi credited the Naan Mudhalvan scheme for improving employability and helping students crack competitive exams such as the UPSC. She noted that several candidates from the Coimbatore region had recently succeeded, attributing this to targeted skill development initiatives.

Criticism of the opposition and centre

Targeting rival parties, Kanimozhi alleged that opposition alliances were against Tamil Nadu’s interests. She accused the Union government of withholding funds over policy differences, including resistance to the three-language formula and Hindi imposition.

She also criticised Edappadi K Palaniswami, stating that previous administrations had failed to deliver on election promises, in contrast to what she described as the DMK’s record of fulfilment.

Tamil Nadu poll schedule and political stakes

Kanimozhi urged voters to give the DMK another mandate, reiterating the party’s commitment to Tamil Nadu development, welfare governance, and state autonomy.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026 will be held in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4, making the contest a crucial test for both the ruling DMK and the opposition.

ANI