As West Bengal gets ready for a tough assembly election, the Union Budget presented on Sunday became a part of the political fight. The Centre announced several projects for the state, but the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) said these moves were more about winning votes than actually helping people.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting her ninth budget, spoke about infrastructure plans linked to West Bengal. These include a special freight corridor connecting Dankuni in West Bengal to Surat in Gujarat, an East Coast Industrial Corridor with an important centre at Durgapur, and tourism-related projects under the Centre’s Purvodaya plan aimed at eastern India.
The BJP says these steps show its focus on development in eastern India before the elections, reported news agency PTI.
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The proposed Dankuni-Surat freight corridor has drawn the most attention. The Centre said it will help move goods in a cleaner and cheaper way, lower transport costs, and support industries in the state. The BJP argued that such projects can help West Bengal grow faster and create jobs, something it claims has been slow under the TMC government.
West Bengal is expected to go to polls in about three months for its 294-member assembly.
{{/usCountry}}West Bengal is expected to go to polls in about three months for its 294-member assembly.
{{/usCountry}}The timing of the announcements has raised eyebrows.
In the past, states like Bihar also saw major budget promises just before elections, leading critics to say such plans are often timed for political gain.
The budget mentioned developing tourism in five eastern states under Purvodaya and adding 4,000 electric buses. The BJP said these announcements will appeal to voters worried about jobs, transport and uneven development across regions, the report stated.
The TMC reacted strongly, calling the budget a “signal” rather than a serious financial plan.
Party leaders said the Centre was rebranding old ideas without releasing funds.
TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee claimed that money for schemes like MGNREGA, PM Awas Yojana and rural roads has been stopped in Bengal since the 2021 elections.
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He said announcing new projects means little if existing funds are not released.
The BJP rejected these claims, saying better roads, industries and transport will help the state’s economy, especially in north and western Bengal.
Political experts said budgets announced close to elections often mix economic planning with politics, as per the report.
(With inputs from PTI)