Senior Congress member Praveen Chakravarty criticized the ruling DMK’s women’s assistance program, suggesting that relying solely on welfare measures for electoral success is misguided. Chakravarty, head of the Professionals’ Congress and Data Analytics department, highlighted that similar schemes in other states did not guarantee re-election for governments. He cited examples where governments implementing financial aid programs for women and vulnerable groups still lost power.
Chakravarty specifically mentioned Congress’ defeats in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh despite introducing relief schemes like “Mehangai Rahat” and “Griha Lakshmi Yojana.” He also pointed out the Bharat Rashtra Samithi government’s loss in Telangana, where welfare initiatives were central to their electoral campaign. These remarks come amidst tensions between DMK and Congress over power-sharing in Tamil Nadu.
Chief Minister Stalin’s recent announcement of Rs 5,000 deposits to women beneficiaries faced opposition, with Chakravarty’s comments seen as a response to DMK leader R.S. Bharathi’s statements. The exchange reflects underlying strains within the DMK-Congress alliance as the Assembly election nears, despite their formal alignment.
