Just minutes before the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly Elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared that her government would clear long-pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears and increase monthly honorariums for clergy. However, the Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, wasted no time in labeling the move as a desperate “election stunt” and a “joke” played on the people of Bengal.

The Last-Minute Bounty: In a flurry of social media posts on Sunday, Mamata Banerjee announced that state government employees, teachers, and pensioners would start receiving their ROPA 2009 DA arrears from March 2026. Simultaneously, she hiked the monthly honorarium for Hindu purohits and Muslim muezzins/imams by ₹500, bringing the total to ₹2,000 per month.

Suvendu’s Scathing Attack: Suvendu Adhikari reacted sharply to these announcements, describing them as a deceptive tactic. “What a JOKE! Mamata Banerjee suddenly remembers lakhs of employees, teachers, and pensioners just MINUTES before the ECI announces poll dates? After looting the state treasury for years and cheating them blind, this is your desperate last-minute poll gimmick?” Adhikari posted on X (formerly Twitter).

He further added that the Finance Department’s notifications are nothing but a “farce” to trick the public, asserting that the state government has no real intention of releasing any funds. Adhikari highlighted that the Supreme Court had recently directed the state to clear arrears, and this move was merely an attempt to evade legal consequences while eyeing the upcoming votes.

Political Standoff: As the campaign for the 2026 elections shifts into top gear, the battle over DA and social allowances is set to be a major talking point. While the TMC presents these moves as the “fulfillment of promises,” the BJP leadership is framing them as evidence of the ruling party’s panic. Adhikari’s relentless critique ensures that the “Ma-Mati-Manush” government’s financial management remains under intense scrutiny in the weeks leading up to the polls.