Cash incentives for women steer Bengal poll discourse

With less than seven days until the first phase of voting in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party are vying for women's votes with their respective welfare schemes. The Trinamool Congress’s Lakshmir Bhandar program has been a successful model for the party, offering ₹1,500 per month to eligible women. The BJP countered with its Matri Shakti Vandan Yojana promising ₹3,000 per month, leading to clashes between supporters of both parties. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticized the BJP's tactics and accused them of collecting voter information for undue advantage. The BJP defended their actions, stating that they were simply offering a better scheme than the Trinamool’s previous program.