New Delhi, April 14 -- On Tamil New Year, a day chosen deliberately for its symbolism, the BJP unveiled its manifesto for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, promising free cooking gas, cash in the hands of women, and a sweeping assault on the ruling DMK. The document is as much a political offensive as it is a welfare programme.

The welfare centrepiece of the BJP's Tamil Nadu manifesto is a trio of free LPG cylinders every year - one each on Pongal, Diwali, and Tamil New Year - a direct appeal to households grappling with rising living costs especially amid geopolitical tensions brought out by Iran-US war, and a calculated move to embed the promise in the rhythm of the state's cultural calendar.

Beyond cooking gas, the party has pledged...