DMK leader NR Elango accuses BJP of "copying" party's promise to hike women's allowance to ₹2000

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 14 : Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader NR Elango on Tuesday asserted that the monthly financial assistance provided to women in Tamil Nadu is their right rather than a welfare "freebie" as categorised by the opposition.

He accused the BJP of duplicating the DMK's poll promises after the ruling party pledged to double the current monthly allowance for women to ₹2,000 in its election manifesto.

DMK leader NR Elango, while speaking to ANI, said, "The Tamil Nadu government is already giving Rs 1000 to eligible women. That means they are entitled to that. The BJP says that we are giving freebies. We are not saying this is free, but their right to get that amount from the government. In our election manifesto, we have promised we would increase that amount to Rs 2000... The BJP is just copying it... But till now, they were saying that these freebies are affecting the economy. Now they have realised that what DMK is doing is the only way forward and is for the upliftment of women and social justice."

"It is not a threat. He is cautioning... Annamalai, while raising objections to his statement, has not clarified how the proposed amendments in the Constitution will affect the rights of the southern states... As the custodian of the people of Tamil Nadu, it is his duty to make this statement," the leader added further.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Tiruchi Siva slammed the BJP-led Union Government for failing to circulate the text of delimitation and women's reservation Constitutional Amendment bills with only 48 hours remaining before a high-stakes three-day session of Parliament.

On the other hand, on Tuesday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its manifesto for the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections, promising a monthly assistance of Rs 2,000 to all women heads of households and a one-time sum of Rs 10,000 to every household.

BJP is contesting with the AIADMK in the National Democratic Alliance on 27 seats.

The party has promised three LPG cylinders free of cost, each on the occasions of Pongal, Tamil Puthandu and Deepavali.

In line with the BJP's Hindutva plank, the party announced that it will declare Thaipoosam as the state festival to honour Lord Murugan and will ensure that the tradition of lighting the Karthigai Deepam at the Thiruparankundram Hilltop is resumed and protected through the years.

For women, the party also promised to tackle crimes against women through streamlined zero-FIR reporting, victim-witness protection, Special Fast-Track Courts for heinous cases including sexual offences, 100 per cent blind-spot-free CCTV in buses, schools and universities, and optimised Nirbhaya Fund utilisation.

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