Assembly Elections 2026: Mamata Banerjee Comes Up With 'Trump Card' Ahead Of West Bengal Polls

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has played a trump card ahead of the assembly elections. On Sunday, just before the announcement of the election dates, she stated that her government would begin paying the pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears to state employees and pensioners starting this March. This decision will also benefit teachers, non-teaching staff in educational institutions, and employees working in grant-in-aid institutions. Additionally, the honorarium for priests and muezzins has also been increased.

Was the Information Shared on Social Media?

Writing on 'X' (formerly Twitter), Mamata Banerjee expressed her delight in announcing that her 'Ma-Mati-Manush' (Mother-Earth-People) government has fulfilled the promise made to employees and pensioners. She noted that millions of teachers, non-teaching staff, as well as employees and pensioners of grant-in-aid institutions—such as Panchayats, municipal bodies, and other local self-governments—would benefit from this move.

When Will Arrears Payment Begin?

The West Bengal Chief Minister clarified that the payment of pending Dearness Allowance arrears to employees, under the 'ROPA 2009' framework, would commence in March 2026. She added that the detailed procedure for this has been laid out in notifications issued by the State Finance Department.

What has the BJP said?

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has dismissed Mamata Banerjee's announcement as nothing more than an "election gimmick." Party leader Suvendu Adhikari remarked that this announcement was made precisely when the Election Commission was poised to declare the election dates within a matter of minutes.

He alleged that Mamata Banerjee had suddenly "remembered" the millions of employees, pensioners, teachers, and non-teaching staff. He claimed that the promise to pay the 'ROPA 2009' DA arrears starting in March 2026 is merely an electoral declaration, and that, in reality, not a single penny would actually be released. He asserted that the state government has deceived its employees for years, and this step has been taken only at the very last moment.

Suvendu Adhikari further alleged that this entire exercise is yet another attempt to mislead the people of the state, characterizing it as nothing more than "electoral theatrics" by the Trinamool Congress.

What about increase in honorariums for priests and muezzins?

In another announcement, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also declared an increase in the monthly honorariums for priests and muezzins in West Bengal. All these announcements were made just prior to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, which comes into effect following the declaration of the election schedule. The Model Code of Conduct becomes operative the moment the election schedule is announced.