Chennai: As early counting trends point to a political churn in Tamil Nadu, actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is emerging as a major disruptor, leading in 105 of the 234 Assembly constituencies, according to Election Commission data. The surge has put the spotlight on the party’s manifesto, a welfare-heavy document that appears to have resonated across key voter segments, including women, youth and farmers.

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Launched in April, the 95-page manifesto laid out an expansive vision centred on financial assistance, employment generation and governance reforms. Vijay had framed the document around the principles of the classical Tamil text Thirukkural by Thiruvalluvar — aram (virtue), porul (wealth), and inbam (joy) — positioning it as a blueprint for ethical governance. “TVK has adopted honest administration as its ideology. Even our party’s first election manifesto is an assurance of honesty. We will not mislead like (incumbent Tamil Nadu chief minister) Stalin. We are not making a hurried manifesto filled with empty promises to the people,” Vijay said while unveiling it on April 16.

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A significant portion of the manifesto focused on women-centric welfare. The party promised ₹2,500 per month to women heads of families, six free LPG cylinders annually, dedicated women’s courts, and a separate department for women’s safety. It also proposed marriage benefits, including a sovereign gold coin and silk saree for brides, along with financial incentives to reduce school dropouts among girls and support for women's self-help groups.

For the youth, TVK outlined a mix of financial support and job creation. It promised unemployment allowances of ₹4,000 for graduates and ₹2,500 for diploma holders, alongside skill development stipends of up to ₹10,000 per month. The party also pledged to create five lakh jobs under a “CM People Service Associate” programme, offering a monthly salary of ₹18,000, and proposed incentives for companies hiring local talent.

Farmers were another key focus area, with promises including a waiver of cooperative crop loans for small landholders, partial waivers for larger farmers, and legally guaranteed minimum support prices of ₹3,500 per quintal for paddy and ₹4,500 for sugarcane. The manifesto also proposed financial assistance for tenant farmers and agricultural labourers through a cultivator rights card.