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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its manifesto for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in Chennai on Tuesday, April 14. Union Minister J.P. Nadda released the document titled “Building a new era through Kamal’s promise 2026”. He described the occasion as auspicious as it was the New Year of Tamil Nadu and Dr. B.R. It coincided with the 150th birth anniversary of Ambedkar. During this program, Tamil Nadu BJP chief Nainar Nagendran, K. Annamalai and Tamilisai Soundararajan were also present.

**The main promises to welfare schemes are as follows:**

– Financial assistance of ₹ 2,000 every month to female heads of households.
– Three free LPG cylinders every year (on the occasion of Pongal, Tamil Nadu New Year and Diwali).
– One-time assistance of ₹ 10,000 to every family.
– Subsidy of ₹25,000 to eligible women to purchase e-scooter.
– Assistance of ₹2,000 per month to those rearing Jallikattu bulls; Also, if a participant dies, an ex-gratia amount of ₹10 lakh will be given to his/her family.
– 3% exemption in stamp duty for first time home buyers.
– Interest-free loans up to ₹50 lakh to women’s self-help groups (SHGs) and MSMEs.

In this manifesto, special attention has also been given to the traditions of temples. It proposes to schedule two-hour darshan every day for local people at major temples and to continue the rituals of ‘Karthikai Deepam’, which also includes lighting of lamps on Tiruparankundram hill. Additionally, it also promises to improve infrastructure, including high-speed rail corridors and better connectivity.

On the governance and law and order front, the BJP has promised ‘zero FIR’ facility, setting up fast-track courts to try serious crimes (especially crimes against women), and ensuring 100% CCTV coverage in buses, schools and universities. Nadda and other state leaders sharply criticized the ruling DMK party over corruption, dynasty politics, rise in drug- crimes (which has claimed a 51% rise), and deteriorating law and order.

Tamil Nadu will go to polls in a single phase on April 23, 2026, and its results will be declared along with the results of other states on May 4. BJP is contesting this election as a part of the NDA alliance. The manifesto is a mix of welfare schemes, cultural promises and sharp attacks on the DMK government.