Signalling fresh strains within the DMK-Congress alliance, senior Congress leader Praveen Chakravarty said the latest move of the DMK government crediting Rs 5,000 to 1.31 crore women under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai Thittam may have social value, but its electoral payoff is uncertain. It is worth noting that the ruling DMK considers the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam one of its flagship welfare schemes.
Chakravarty was responding to a remark by DMK organisation secretary RS Bharathi, who said that crediting Rs 5,000 to women has had a “significant” impact. The Congress leader reeled out a list of states where political parties faced defeat after announcing monetary assistance to women.
On Saturday, when a reporter remarked that despite the clarification from CM MK Stalin that sharing power won’t work in Tamil Nadu, certain Congress leaders continued to raise that issue, Bharathi retorted, “From tomorrow, they won’t raise it. Because of the disbursal of Rs 5,000 to women, every politician knows the pulse of the people and what they are thinking.”
In a post on X, Chakravarty said, “The honorarium to women is an excellent welfare scheme. Its implementation is commendable. However, believing that it alone will guarantee poll victory is a misconception. In the past three years, of the nine state governments that announced similar schemes ahead of elections, only four secured victory.”