Aptitude counts, not freebies

State elections are increasingly supercharged by grand campaign announcements by major political parties of cash grants and shiny private goods, making them stand out from traditional welfare schemes.

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Although they were deplored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘revdi’ in 2022, the BJP too hopped on the bandwagon and came up with competing offers of its own a year later for the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan elections. The PM personally presented cheques to beneficiaries under Maharashtra's Ladki Bahin scheme in 2024. Tamil Nadu, with its overall good social development indicators, is the crucible of populism, and the keen battle of 2026 has brought forth a fresh round of spectacular promises from the two major contenders this time—the ruling DMK has added to its list a consumer durables scheme worth Rs 8,000 for homemakers who have a ration card, while the ALADMK has dangled a free refrigerator and a Rs 10,000 grant to meet the high cost of living. Actor Vijay, making his debut, is seeking a