Suvendu calls Bengal's vote-on-account 'false document'

Kolkata, Feb 5 (PTI) Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday slammed the West Bengal government's vote-on-account, calling it a "false and aimless document" filled with election-oriented promises that are legally impossible to implement.

Reacting to the interim budget, the leader of the opposition in the state assembly said that most announcements were misleading as they could not be executed once the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) comes into force.

The West Bengal government on Thursday tabled a Rs 4.06 lakh crore interim budget in the state assembly for the 2026-27 financial year, rolling out cash support and allowance hike measures targeting women, youths and frontline workers ahead of the assembly polls due in less than three months.

"After publication of the final voter list (on February 14), the MCC can be enforced at any moment. Under the MCC, the government cannot increase financial benefits or expand the number of beneficiaries," Adhikari said.

He described the vote-on-account as merely a four-month arrangement meant to meet routine expenditure such as salaries, and asserted that promises slated for implementation from April were "nothing but deception".

The BJP leader termed the budget "anti-unemployed", alleging that it lacked any concrete employment targets.

He criticised the rebranding of the 'Yuvashree' scheme as 'Yuva Sathi', which offers a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500, calling it "jugglery and deception". Adhikari said earlier promises of job portals and youth allowances had been effectively abandoned through repeated renaming without delivery.

He also claimed the interim budget was silent on women's safety and alleged that the government had failed to address core social concerns.

Adhikari said that if the BJP is voted to power, a committee would be formed to examine increasing the financial assistance scheme ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ and hinted that the aid could be hiked to Rs 3,000 per month.

He further promised that a BJP government would resolve job-related issues within six months of assuming office.

Adhikari flagged the absence of any specific measures for contractual and third-party workers, including ASHA and ICDS volunteers, data entry operators, village resource persons, and transport drivers and contractors engaged through Webel.

On the announcement of a four per cent Dearness Allowance (DA), he questioned the reference to the sixth Pay Commission when the state had failed to constitute the Seventh Pay Commission.

The BJP leader warned that the government would face pressure to arrange around Rs 10,400 crore towards DA arrears by March 31, in line with the Supreme Court's directive.

Claiming the vote-on-account offered no roadmap for revenue growth, Adhikari said it would push the state further into economic stagnation.

"Except for the Lakshmir Bhandar payment scheduled for February, there is no substance in this budget," he said. PTI BSM PNT SMY NN