During the release of the election manifesto in Chennai, Anbumani Ramadoss, president of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), emphasized the need for a caste census to gather detailed data on social and economic conditions in Tamil Nadu. He argued that only state governments can collect such data, which is essential for justifying internal reservations. The manifesto also includes a proposal for direct cash transfers of ₹2,000 (approximately $24 USD) monthly to women to support their dignity. Ramadoss criticized the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for accruing significant debts without capital investment in critical areas such as irrigation and education, claiming that only ₹1.6 lakh crore (roughly $192 million USD) has been spent on capital projects. He accused the DMK of corruption, citing ₹1.82 lakh crore (approximately $220 million USD) in alleged misappropriations within the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac). Despite previous ideological differences, he stated that opposition parties are united in their goal to remove the DMK from power due to its failure to ensure safety and governance. Ramadoss also highlighted the absence of an independent Lokayukta in Tamil Nadu, which he believes is necessary to address corruption, particularly in sand mining, where the Enforcement Directorate has reported evidence of corruption amounting to ₹4,800 crore (around $580 million USD).