With the general elections just around the corner, the West Bengal government has made a significant announcement regarding Dearness Allowance (DA) for its employees. While the move aims to pacify the long-standing grievances of the state workforce, it has provided fresh ammunition to the opposition. BJP heavyweight Dilip Ghosh has launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of using DA as a political bait to secure votes.

The issue of DA has been a thorn in the side of the TMC government, with employees staging protests for months demanding parity with central government rates. Dilip Ghosh, reacting to the latest hike, stated that the Chief Minister only acknowledges the existence of government employees when the election bell rings. “The CM has consistently ignored the pleas of the employees. Now, with polls knocking at the door, she is trying to win them over with a meager increment. It’s too little, too late,” Ghosh remarked during a media interaction.

The veteran BJP leader did not mince words as he directly called out the Chief Minister for what he described as “financial mismanagement.” He asserted that while the TMC government claims to have no funds for employees’ dues, it continues to spend lavishly on festivals and advertisements. “Mamata Banerjee’s government is depriving the very people who run the administration. This announcement is nothing but a desperate attempt to cross the electoral hurdle,” he added.

TMC leaders were quick to defend the move, highlighting that despite the central government withholding legitimate funds from the state, the Chief Minister has prioritized the welfare of the employees. However, with the DA case still pending in the Supreme Court and the opposition ramping up its rhetoric, the timing of this announcement has made it a centerpiece of the 2026 electoral battle in Bengal.