Kerala Polls: UDF's NYAY Scheme, Rs 3,000 Pensions & Farmer Aid in Manifesto

Key promises include free bus travel for women across the state, an increase of welfare pensions to Rs 3,000 monthly. College-going girl students will receive Rs 1,000 per month and families will get a Rs 25 lakh insurance scheme.

Leader of Opposition and Congress leader VD Satheesan, along with other United Democratic Front (UDF) leaders, released the party's election manifesto.

Elections for the 2026 Keralam Legislative Assembly elections will be held on April 9, with the counting of votes on May 4. The tenure of the current assembly is set to conclude on May 23.

The 2026 UDF manifesto includes a range of promises aimed at welfare, development, and employment. Under the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) Scheme, the party pledged to provide Rs 6,000 per month to the poorest families below the poverty line. Welfare pensions are set to increase in stages to Rs 3,000.

Farmers are also a focus, with support prices for rubber and paddy proposed at Rs 250 and Rs 35 per kilogram. On housing, the UDF promised to ensure homes for all eligible individuals by addressing defects in the 'Life Mission' project, aiming for a homeless-free Kerala.

In healthcare, the manifesto has reforms to make the Karunya Insurance scheme more efficient and the establishment of dialysis centres in all Panchayats. For education, UDF plans to set up international standard learning facilities in higher education through collaborations with foreign universities.

Employment initiatives include launching Skill Development programs to provide jobs to five lakh youth within five years. Consumer protection measures will target rising prices of essential goods. For the fishing community, sea relief and housing projects are set to be restarted.

Women's empowerment is also emphasised, with promises to expand self-employment loans through Kudumbashree and implement stricter laws for women's safety. Additionally, monthly free kits will be provided to all yellow cardholders (AAY).

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who attended the manifesto release function as chief guest, praised Kerala's people and leadership while taking a swipe at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, asserting that the UDF will now take charge of the state.

He highlighted his administrative experience and claimed Telangana's development under his leadership, challenging Vijayan to match it, and called for a change in Kerala's governance.

"Telangana people love Kerala; we have so many similarities. Sonia Gandhi has given so much love to Telangana, and her son and daughter, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, have been adopted by the Kerala people. Here, Pinarayi Vijayan has been running the state for the last ten years, like KCR runs Telangana for 20 years, with maximum corruption," Telangana CM said.

"Pinarayi Vijayan's turn is over now; UDF's turn will start. For the development of Kerala i want to share my administrative experience. I was a Jila Parishad member, then MLA and MP. Now I am CM. Earlier, I didn't have any experience with any ministry. I want to challenge Pinarayi Vijayan to come and see the development of Telangana. We waived off 41K crores for farmers," he said.

VD Satheesan said the manifesto is anchored in five key guarantees announced by Rahul Gandhi during the congress' Puthu Yuga Yatra in Thriruvananthapuram.

The five guarantees include free travel for women on Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses to enhance mobility and participation in public life. A monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 for college-going girl students. A Rs 25 lakh health insurance scheme named after former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. An increase welfare pensions to Rs 3,000 and Interest-free loans for young entrepreneurs and the creation of a dedicated ministry for senior citizens.

The incumbent Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) will look to once again gain control of the 140-member assembly, defeating the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). The LDF-led government has governed the state for around a decade.

- ANI