Congress Manifesto for TN Assembly Elections 2026, Rahul Gandhi Missing from Campaign

The Congress has released its manifesto for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026, outlining welfare measures focused on income support, employment, safety and public services.

The manifesto was released ahead of polling on April 23 for all 234 Assembly constituencies. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram and state Congress chief K Selvaperunthagai were present.

The party has proposed a Universal Basic Income of Rs 2,000 per month for every family. The amount will be transferred to women's bank accounts linked to ration cards.

The manifesto includes a "3 Lakh Government Jobs in 300 Days" plan. The recruitment drive will target existing vacancies across departments. Congress said department-wise vacancy lists will be released and a recruitment calendar will be issued.

On safety, the party has proposed recruitment of 40,000 police personnel, including 10,000 women commandos. An integrated emergency response system has also been proposed to link police, fire, ambulance and child helplines under a single platform. Dial 100 will continue as the common emergency number.

In the health sector, Congress has announced a "Rabies Free Tamil Nadu" campaign, targeting full dog vaccination and sterilisation by 2030.

Campaign Gap Draws Attention

The manifesto release has coincided with a visible gap in campaign activity by Rahul Gandhi in Tamil Nadu. Over the past two months, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited the state three times and is scheduled to address a rally in Nagercoil on April 15.

In contrast, Rahul Gandhi has not held any rallies in Tamil Nadu so far during this election cycle. According to Congress sources, his visit is expected after April 10, once campaigning concludes in other poll-bound regions.

During a recent campaign in Puducherry, Rahul Gandhi appealed for votes for Congress and alliance candidates but did not mention DMK or its leader M. K. Stalin.

Alliance Signals Under Watch

The Congress is contesting the elections as part of the DMK-led alliance under M. K. Stalin. The alliance includes DMDK and VCK, with Congress contesting 28 Assembly seats.

However, the lack of joint appearances has drawn attention. During the Puducherry campaign, Rahul Gandhi and Stalin held separate events on the same day and did not share a platform. Party leaders said schedules had been fixed earlier and could not be changed.

Polling in Tamil Nadu will be held in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4.