KOLKATA: The BJP is expected to unveil its election manifesto for poll-bound West Bengal in Kolkata on Saturday, eight days after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee released the TMC's manifesto, intensifying questions on whether the saffron party’s ‘Sankalp Patra’ can challenge the ruling party, with less than four weeks to go for the assembly polls in the state.
Bengal will vote in two phases on April 23 and 29 for 294 assembly constituencies. According to sources in the Bengal BJP leadership, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to arrive in Kolkata to release the manifesto outlining the party's political, economic and welfare roadmap for Bengal. The ‘Sankalp Patra’ is likely to focus on social welfare schemes, relief for government employees, job generation, investments in industries, women’s safety and law and order issues in the state.
In pre-poll rallies and meetings of the party much before the poll dates for Bengal were announced by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on March 15, senior Bengal BJP leaders including Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari have been focusing on three key promises: clearance of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears within 45 days of forming the government, Rs 3,000 monthly assistance for women, and Rs 3,000 monthly support for unemployed youth. If the government is formed in April, the money will be credited from May, the saffron camp claims.
The central leadership of the party feels that these poll doles can counter the Trinamool’s promises to continue giving enhanced financial support for women and unemployed youth aged between 21 and 40. The BJP has also promised to fill all vacant government posts through a transparent recruitment process.
Dole politics gathered momentum after the Mamata Banerjee government announced a hike of ₹500 in Lakshmir Bhandar, the state’s flagship welfare scheme, on February 5 when the state tabled its vote-on-account in the election year. The revised amount was credited to the accounts of around 2.42 crore beneficiaries on February 6, just one day later.
It is widely believed that the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme played a crucial role in retaining women voters' support in the 2021 Assembly polls. Trinamool Congress insiders feel that the enhanced financial support to women and launching of Yuva Sathi scheme for jobless youths would help the party come back to power for the fourth time in a row despite the removal of around 64 lakh dead, duplicate and absent voters, besides the lakhs of voters whose names were deleted after adjudication.
“The significant change we have been noticing this time is that women voters are not crazy with the so-called Mamata magic of giving doles ahead of every election despite the huge bankruptcy of her government. Women, who are beneficiaries of the scheme, know very well that jobs are essential for their sons and daughters. Our party leadership might have plans to give increased financial support to women and young unemployed youths and all these things will be clear in the manifesto to be released on Saturday,” BJP MP Soumitra Khan said.
“We have already started collecting suggestions from people for our poll manifesto and are waiting to know what the people, particularly the women of Bengal, want. Based on their demands, the dole amount will be officially announced in the manifesto,” said a BJP leader.
“There is no doubt that Bengal’s electoral politics will revolve around dole politics. However, the Trinamool Congress will always have an advantage because it has already been delivering benefits. The BJP’s task is to convince voters that it would be a better choice,” said political observer Biswanath Chakraborty.
“I think people won’t trust the BJP even if the party promises enhanced financial backup to women and unemployed youths because they want the money first in their bank accounts, instead of making promises,” he said.
