CHENNAI: All welfare measures promised in the DMK’s manifesto for the upcoming Assembly election, including the proposed Rs 8,000 household coupon scheme, were announced only after proper financial consultation, said DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin, assuring that all schemes would be implemented once the party retains power.
In an interview with DT Next, Stalin expressed confidence that the DMK-led alliance would secure a decisive victory, citing strong public support across Tamil Nadu and the absence of anti-incumbency.
In almost every household, at least one person had benefited from a welfare scheme implemented during the past five years, he said.
The visible infrastructure development across the State reflected the government’s performance, added the DMK president.
How do you gauge the public support for the DMK-led alliance?
Our victory is a foregone conclusion, as people across Tamil Nadu, from all sections, are extending immense support to our alliance. The people’s mindset clearly indicates that the Dravidian model 2.0 government will be formed after the polls. In almost every household, there is at least one person who has benefited from a welfare scheme of our five-year governance. Wherever you go in Tamil Nadu, you can see the infrastructure and schemes implemented during this period. There is no anti-incumbency; instead, a strong wave of support for the Dravidian Model government is evident. We will form the government again.
Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi and deputy general secretary Kanimozhi are campaigning constituency-wise. How is the response to this campaign strategy?
Our campaign is not just constituency-wise; it is being done from the booth level, and we began it a year ago. Not only Udhayanidhi and Kanimozhi, but all our star campaigners have received a strong response from the public. Alliance leaders are campaigning across the State like a whirlwind. I have been watching their campaigns on television channels and social media - each one has a unique style. From the public response, it is clear that the DMK alliance is heading towards a massive victory.
Do you think seat-sharing issues will affect the election campaign or the election results?
It is natural for alliance partners to seek more seats. But seat-sharing was finalised through mutual understanding. Compared to 2021, more parties have joined the alliance this time. So, naturally, each party, including the DMK, is contesting fewer seats. These are not issues but part of a planned electoral strategy. It will not reflect the results. All our alliance leaders are united and are campaigning together.
Opinion polls are showing varied results. What is your opinion on the real situation on the ground?
Genuine opinion polls indicate that the DMK will win a large number of seats and retain power. The people have already decided. The Dravidian Model 2.0 government will be formed next month.
How is the public response to the manifesto promises? Will the Rs 8,000 coupon scheme be implemented within a year?
'Say what we do, do what we say' is not just our slogan. People trust us on that. Our manifesto is like a superstar, standing out among all others. It has been proven in past elections. Ever since we released the Dravidian Model 2.0 manifesto, it has become the talk of every town and household. The Rs 8,000 household coupon scheme, which allows women to purchase household goods of their choice, is being widely discussed. It aims to reduce the burden of domestic work. People across all sections, particularly women, have welcomed it. Once we form the government, it will certainly be implemented.
Why form a grand alliance with over 20 parties?
We are aligning with like-minded, secular parties. Since the 2019 parliamentary elections, our alliance partners have remained united. Many new faces have joined us, recognising that our alliance is a winning one and that the Dravidian Model should continue for Tamil Nadu's development. Strengthening the alliance is an electoral strategy.
Which scheme do you think has received the most public appreciation on the ground?
All our schemes are for the people. Depending on the beneficiaries, different schemes receive varying appreciation. Schemes like Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai (KMUT) Thittam, free bus travel for women, breakfast scheme for students, Pudhumai Penn, Tamil Pudhalvan, and Naan Mudhalvan have all been widely appreciated.
Various sections of people have called the KMUT scheme a brand of the DMK. The scheme, once doubted, is now successfully implemented. The scheme to provide Rs 1,000 monthly to 1.31 crore women heads of families has enhanced women's financial independence and supported education, healthcare, and savings. It has also benefited the local economy. Our sisters have been using this money as their brother's gift… This right has become a part of every family today.
You often portray the election as “Tamil Nadu vs Delhi”. But the Leader of the Opposition argues that this is a State election and questions bringing the Union government into it…
If there is no Delhi influence, why did (AIADMK general secretary) Edappadi K Palaniswami even go to Delhi for alliance talks? Unable to win on its own through the people's support, the BJP is trying to enter Tamil Nadu through the AIADMK. The BJP-led Union government is continuously attacking Tamil Nadu's financial, educational, linguistic, and cultural rights.
But our secular alliance stands as a protective force. Knowing that they cannot defeat us directly, as we stand firmly with the support of the people, they are trying to come to power by riding on the backs of their proxies. That is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah keep saying that an NDA government will be formed.
Tamil Nadu will fight to defeat both Delhi, which has consistently neglected the State, and the AIADMK that is supporting it. The BJP is now posing a grave threat to parliamentary democracy itself through delimitation, which would strip Tamil Nadu of its political rights, and the AIADMK is backing it.
That is why we describe this election as Tamil Nadu vs Delhi. This is a contest between our alliance, which stands to protect Tamil Nadu’s interests, and their alliance, which threatens to undermine Tamil Nadu’s rights in every aspect. In this battle, Tamil Nadu will certainly win.
Do you think personal attacks are increasing in election campaigning?
We can speak about what we have done over the past five years as the ruling party and what we plan to do in the future. But the opposition is unable to do that. Out of the frustration that they have no valid points to criticise our government and out of fear of defeat, they are resorting to low-level personal attacks and baseless allegations.
Opposition leader Palaniswami has been making highly objectionable remarks during his campaign. Having presided over what was widely criticised as a corrupt regime, he is now posing as a saint and spreading falsehoods. He has spoken in an extremely derogatory manner about Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. He even made an offensive remark suggesting that if COVID had occurred during Stalin’s tenure, Stalin himself would not have survived. He has also spoken in an unacceptable manner about Member of Parliament Kanimozhi Karunanidhi.
Such statements have become a pattern for him. It is evident that, lacking any achievements to highlight, he is deliberately making defamatory remarks to divert attention from the accomplishments of the DMK government. The people of Tamil Nadu will give an appropriate response to all this.
Why was it necessary to include announcements related to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, including temple consecrations, in the election manifesto?
The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department is a department with a minister. It is indeed appropriate to include its plans in the manifesto. Our government has achieved significant milestones, including more than 4,000 temple consecrations. Our manifesto includes commitments for all religions, reflecting our secular approach.
Opposition leader Palaniswami alleges that loans worth Rs 5 lakh crore were taken in five years. What is your response?
Palaniswami, who pushed Tamil Nadu’s finances into a dire state, has no credibility to speak about financial management. It is under the Dravidian Model government that an economic advisory council was constituted and fiscal management was streamlined.
The BJP-run Union government has failed to release funds properly, be it GST share, education funds, drinking water scheme funds, or MGNREGS funds. Even during floods and cyclones, adequate relief funds were not provided. No major development schemes for Tamil Nadu were announced in the Union Budget. The Union government is carrying out an indirect economic assault on Tamil Nadu. Should the people of Tamil Nadu suffer because of this?
Despite financial constraints imposed by the Union government, we have strengthened Tamil Nadu’s industrial base and raised the State’s economy to Rs 30 lakh crore. During the DMK regime (2021–26), debt increased by 96 per cent, whereas during the AIADMK regime (2016–21), it rose by 128 per cent. The debt-to-GSDP ratio stands at 26.43 per cent, well within the permissible 28.7 per cent.
Unlike the previous regime, which increased debt without any major welfare delivery, we have implemented schemes such as KMUT, free bus travel, Pudhumai Penn, Tamil Pudhalvan, and Naan Mudhalvan, while keeping debt under control.
Will he question the rising debt of the Union government under Narendra Modi? Before 2014, under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, India’s total debt was about Rs 55.87 lakh crore. By February 2026, it had crossed Rs 180 lakh crore – an increase of around 220 per cent in 12 years. Does he not see this unprecedented rise?
Will new schemes further increase the debt burden? Does the government have a plan to implement schemes without increasing liabilities?
We have revived Tamil Nadu’s economy from decline and achieved a strong growth rate of 11.19 per cent, making it one of India’s leading states. We have set a target of a USD 1 trillion economy in the next five years and are working towards it with clear plans. Therefore, there will be no financial obstacles to implementing welfare schemes.
Borrowing is a normal practice – households, companies, and governments all do it. States in India have borrowing limits based on their GSDP, and Tamil Nadu has not exceeded this ceiling. We have not violated any rules. We follow the same fiscal discipline as the Union government. All our schemes are announced and implemented only after proper financial consultation.
People from other parties, especially AIADMK, have been given tickets election. Won’t this affect the morale of DMK cadre in those constituencies?
I understand the mindset of our party cadre. They are aware of my electoral strategy. That is why they are working tirelessly and energetically on the ground.
Not just AIADMK, but all opposition parties are accusing the government over the law-and-order situation. There are complaints that liquor and drugs like ganja are not being controlled. Your response?
Law and order is better under our government than during the previous AIADMK regime. Tamil Nadu is a leading State in preventing crimes and ensuring swift punishment. These allegations are baseless. It was under the AIADMK government led by Edappadi Palaniswami that gutkha was allowed to spread widely. There are even CBI cases involving ministers linked to drug-related corruption during that period.
When will solutions be found for bringing education back to the State List and securing exemption from the NEET exam?
The DMK government is firm on abolishing NEET and restoring medical admissions based on Class 12 marks. We formed a committee under Justice AK Rajan (retd) to study its impact and initiated legal battles based on its recommendations.
A Bill seeking NEET exemption was unanimously adopted by the Assembly and sent to the President. We have challenged NEET in the Supreme Court, collected 50 lakh signatures, and conducted protests against irregularities. We continue to press the issue in all-party meetings and during interactions with the Prime Minister.
Despite all efforts, the Modi government continues to deny justice to Tamil students, with the support of the AIADMK. A resolution will come when a government aligned with the INDIA bloc is formed at the Union government. Until then, our struggle will continue in every possible way.
What were the major challenges faced by the DMK government over the past five years? If re-elected, what are the key challenges you foresee?
Reviving Tamil Nadu after 10 years of AIADMK rule was a major challenge, especially during the peak of the COVID second wave and amid continued neglect from the Union government. Despite this, we have placed Tamil Nadu on a high-growth path.
Going forward, we will focus on taking growth to the next level – strengthening infrastructure, education, and healthcare, preparing youth for AI-driven opportunities, and safeguarding Tamil Nadu’s rights against Delhi's encroachment.
A multi-cornered contest seems to be prevailing in this election. Is this advantageous or disadvantageous to the DMK alliance?
Regardless of how many parties contest, the DMK alliance will win again. The ground situation is clearly in our favour. You will witness the formation of the Dravidian Model 2.0 government.
What will be the priority areas/sector in Dravidian Model 2.0?
We will give greater emphasis to education, healthcare, industrial growth, and social development.
What is the one regret or area of improvement in the five years of government?
The five years of the Dravidian Model government have been filled with achievements. We have delivered transparent governance and earned the trust of the people that itself is our answer.