Tribal women campaign for TMC on scooters bought from scheme

Kolkata: In a striking example of grassroots mobilisation, women in parts of Birbhum district are turning savings from the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme into tools of political participation.

In Sainthia block’s Deriyapur gram panchayat area, an Adivasi housewife, Nandi Soren from Doikota village, has purchased a scooter by saving money received under the scheme. What makes her story stand out is how she has gone beyond personal use- riding the scooter to campaign and promote the very welfare initiative that enabled her purchase.

With party flags tied to her vehicle, she has been travelling across nearby areas, spreading awareness and urging people to support the scheme.

The trend is not limited to one individual. Similar scenes are unfolding in the Mayureswar Assembly Constituency, particularly in areas under the Mayureswar II block. Several women there have also bought scooters by pooling their Lakshmir Bhandar savings along with financial support from their families. Like Soren, they too have taken to the streets, actively participating in election campaigning with party flags mounted on their vehicles.

Their stories reflect a broader shift in rural political engagement, where beneficiaries of welfare schemes are emerging as active participants in the electoral process.

Beyond financial assistance, the scheme appears to be fostering mobility, confidence, and a stronger public presence among women, particularly in marginalised communities.