Free laptops, stationery for students, sanitary napkins for women and Rs 100,000 deposit for female child born in a below poverty line (BPL) family... the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has offered all this and more in its manifesto for the Tamil Nadu assembly elections.
Releasing the manifesto here Saturday, the BJP's Tamil Nadu chief Pon Radhakrishnan told reporters that the party will give pens and pencils to students at the beginning of the academic year and at the time of final exams.
The party has even promised laptops for all plus-one, plus-two and college students.
Refuting to describe them as freebies, Radhakrishnan said: "Students are not voters and so they are not freebies."
The party has also promised free medical check up for below poverty line families in the state. Sanitary napkins will be distributed free for women through ration shops to improve their personal hygiene.
The BJP has also promised extension of benefits enjoyed by minority educational institutions to all institutions irrespective of religion.
It has assured to strive to get 205 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of Cauvery water from Karnataka, where it is currently the ruling party, and also promised protection of Tamil Nadu's interests in the Mullaperiyar dam dispute with Kerala.
{{/usCountry}}It has assured to strive to get 205 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of Cauvery water from Karnataka, where it is currently the ruling party, and also promised protection of Tamil Nadu's interests in the Mullaperiyar dam dispute with Kerala.
{{/usCountry}}A separate budget for agriculture and also other promises for the farmer's welfare have been made.
The BJP has promised to protect the interests of Indian fishermen and prevent attacks by Sri Lankan navy on them.
The BJP is contesting 194 seats in the 234-member state assembly. The DMK and the AIADMK have also made such promises in their manifestoes.