Indian voters are increasingly looking beyond welfare programs when casting their ballots, as recent state elections have shown that extensive welfare delivery alone is no longer enough to secure incumbency.
In Tamil Nadu, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) lost power despite being known for its robust welfare-transfer model, while in West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) was swept out of office after three terms, despite its women-centric welfare schemes.
Indian Welfare Politics
Across party lines, governments in India now promise a range of benefits, including pensions, direct cash transfers, scholarships, and free or subsidized electricity, but voters are no longer swayed by these offerings alone.
Political scientist Bhanu Joshi notes that welfare is already a baseline expectation in Indian politics, and what decides elections now is what parties build above it, including their broader political coalitions and leadership.
In West Bengal, the TMC’s old electoral equilibrium of welfare delivery, women voters, Muslim consolidation, and enough Hindu support may have fractured, contributing to its loss to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Broader Implications
The shift away from welfare-centric politics has significant implications for India’s state governments, which are increasingly borrowing to fund recurring welfare payouts while squeezing spending on roads, schools, health systems, and job creation.
According to the latest Ministry of Finance Economic Survey, states are expected to spend roughly $18 billion on unconditional cash transfers alone in 2025-26, much of it targeted at women, but this spending risks crowding out capital investment and longer-term growth.
