"TMC’s 15th and final budget": Suvendu promises jobs and farmer relief in 2026

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a walkout from the West Bengal Assembly during the 2025 Budget Session, protesting against what they called an "anti-unemployment and anti-farmer" budget. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari led the walkout, alleging that the Mamata Banerjee-led government had failed to address the concerns of 2.15 crore unemployed youths. He declared, "This is Mamata's last budget. In 2026, the BJP will present a full-fledged budget and ensure one job per unemployed household."

The budget introduced several schemes, including the ‘Nodi Bandhan’ project for river-centric development, Rs. 200 crore for providing mobile phones to ASHA and Anganwadi workers, and Rs. 500 crore for the Ghatal Master Plan. Additionally, Rs. 200 crore was allocated for river erosion prevention. However, Adhikari claimed that the budget overlooked key regions like North Bengal, Jangalmahal, and Sundarbans, stating, "There are no provisions for irrigation, tea plantation workers, or land acquisition for promised projects."

The Leader of Opposition also criticized the budget for not addressing financial relief for farmers. He pointed out the lack of allocations for crop insurance, fertilizer and electricity subsidies, pensions for elderly farmers, and compensation for agricultural accidents. Referring to water and healthcare shortages in Jhargram, Purulia, and West Midnapore, Adhikari said, "People do not have access to clean drinking water or medical facilities, and the budget does not provide any solutions."

Adhikari also targeted the MLA Area Development Fund, which was set at Rs. 60 lakh per MLA. He compared it to Jharkhand, where each MLA reportedly receives Rs. 5 crore for local development. Additionally, he questioned the announcement of smartphones for ASHA workers, alleging that the state government had held back Rs. 200 crore in central funds for three years before announcing the scheme.

On the issue of women’s welfare, Adhikari stated that there was no increase in allocations for the ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme, contrasting it with BJP-led states like Odisha, Maharashtra, and Delhi, where women receive higher financial assistance. He also raised concerns over women’s safety, citing the RG Kar incident, and questioned why no new initiatives were introduced in this area.

Slamming the 4% hike in dearness allowance (DA) for state government employees, Adhikari claimed that West Bengal government employees still lag behind their central counterparts in benefits. He also highlighted the state's growing debt burden, which stands at Rs. 6 lakh crore, and criticized the budget for not outlining a clear recovery plan. Asserting BJP’s vision for 2026, he said, "This is TMC’s 15th and final budget. In 2026, we will present a budget focused on employment, farmers, and real development."