Kerala Assembly polls: LDF’s manifesto vows to eradicate absolute poverty, hike welfare pensions to ₹3,000

The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala on Thursday (April 2, 2026) released its manifesto for the upcoming Assembly elections, outlining a 60-point programme containing 950 proposals to create a ‘Nava Kerala’ (New Kerala), while seeking a mandate to continue the ongoing development works.

The highlights of the manifesto, unveiled by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Kozhikode, include a promise to eradicate absolute poverty, launch of Life Mission 2.0 to make Kerala “a no-homeless State”, hike in welfare pension from ₹2,000 to ₹3,000, transformation of the State into a knowledge society in five years, assured job opportunities for educated youth through campus placements, a ‘Back to Campus’ scheme for skill enhancement, and interest-free loans for entrepreneurs.

As many as 5 lakh severely poor families will be identified and they will be lifted out of poverty. The initiatives aimed at women’s empowerment include a promise of 50% employment for women and job assurance for 2 million homemakers.

In the education sector, the manifesto promises to elevate higher education to global standards, address learning gaps in public education, and expand technical education initiatives. All bed-ridden patients will get special treatment and schemes will be launched for all senior citizens.

Universal health coverage scheme

In the health sector, the LDF promises to implement a universal health coverage scheme and a limitless treatment benefits. At present, 42 lakh beneficiaries are getting treatment benefits up to ₹5 lakh a year under Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi.

Highlighting that the “denial” of an All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) as an example of the “discrimination” against Kerala, the LDF says it will set up a better medico-research hospital with the help of the people, “if that stand (of the Centre) is not corrected.”

Metro rail projects will be implemented in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode and Water Metro will be expanded to Alappuzha, Kollam, and Kodungallur.

LDF convener T.P. Ramakrishnan, Communist Party of India leader K. Prakash Babu, Ministers K. Krishnankutty and A.K. Saseendran, and senior CPI(M) leader Elamaram Kareem, among others, attended the event.

CM on FCRA Bill

Addressing a press conference later, Mr. Vijayan said that the concerns expressed by the minorities related to the proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulations) Act [FCRA] were “real” because it was being brought in by a government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the political arm of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

“The RSS considers Muslims and Christians as its internal enemies. We are seeing how the Sangh is attacking these two communities in the country. Instead of supporting the victims, the perpetrators are being protected. In that context, we think their fears are not misplaced,” he said.

Mr. Vijayan pointed out that provisions such as taking over the ownership of institutions for lapses in submitting their accounts to the authorities were “draconian” in nature.