Shortly after the Election Commission announced the schedule for the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026, BJP State President Samik Bhattacharya launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Dismissing the state government’s recent announcements on Dearness Allowance (DA) and honorarium hikes for priests and muezzins, Bhattacharya stated that no amount of “election doles” could save the Trinamool Congress from an impending defeat.

Bhattacharya on Doles and Arrears: Speaking to the media, the BJP leader termed the CM’s announcements as a “desperate last-minute attempt” to lure voters. “For years, government employees were deprived of their rights and forced to protest on the streets. Suddenly, on the day of the poll announcement, the government remembers their DA? The people of Bengal have realized that these are hollow promises. You cannot cross the electoral hurdle simply by offering doles when the foundation of governance has crumbled,” he asserted.

A Call for a New Government: With results scheduled for May 4, Bhattacharya expressed absolute confidence in a change of regime. “The countdown has begun. Come May, West Bengal will witness the swearing-in of a new government that prioritizes development over appeasement. The era of fear and corruption is ending.” He added that a condensed two-phase election would allow for a more effective deployment of central forces, ensuring that voters can exercise their franchise without intimidation.

The BJP’s Strategic Stance: According to Bhattacharya, the BJP’s campaign will focus on the failure of the “Maa, Maati, Manush” slogan and the alleged constitutional breakdown in the state. He emphasized that the youth and the middle class are looking for a “Double Engine” government to rescue Bengal from its current economic and social stagnation.