Kolkata: At a time when Trinamool Congress (TMC) repeatedly accuses the BJP government at the Centre of using money power in Bengal during elections, the BJP, according to sources, may increase its campaign-related expenditure for the forthcoming 2026 Assembly elections multiple times.
Trinamool Congress spokesperson Arup Chakraborty on Wednesday said that the BJP would even lose the status of being the Opposition party in the 2026 Assembly elections as the people of Bengal would give them a befitting reply much “harsher” than 2021.
“People of Bengal are politically conscious. The BJP would not be able to win votes by distributing money. After the 2021 Assembly elections, the BJP-led Centre had stopped providing funds for the poor people who worked under the 100-day work scheme. They have stopped providing funds under the Awas scheme. If the BJP wants to buy votes in exchange for bribes, the people would give them a bigger reply democratically,” Chakraborty said. “This time the BJP would not even get the status of Opposition party,” he added.
Speculations are doing rounds among state BJP’s insiders that the saffron party may increase its election funding multiple times in Bengal and the amount may well cross Rs 1000 crore which include the costs of campaigns of heavyweight candidates. The central leaders would monitor the expenditures which will be spent under various heads and who would get how much funds. BJP failed to win the 2021 Assembly elections in Bengal by spending a huge amount.
The ruling party in Bengal alleged that pumping more money into elections would fetch a bigger disappointment for the saffron camp.
“BJP had spent around Rs 1,000 crore for 294 Assembly seats in 2021. They might increase the amount up to Rs 3,000-4,000 crore for 294 seats in 2026. The people of Bengal will cast their votes in favour of the party that stands by their side throughout the year,” Chakraborty stated.
“The entire India has seen how the BJP carried out organised loot in the name of electoral bonds. BJP has the highest amount of funds, and they will obviously misuse it.
They have money power; muscle power; agency power, but people’s faith is with us,” he further added.
Union Home minister Amit Shah is expected to hold an organisational meeting in the state either in the end of November or early December, sources said. Trouble-torn state BJP hopes to draw strength from the rallies by the stature of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Union Home Minister Amit Shah.