Mamata Banerjee slams BJP over Nitish Kumar, reaffirms youth allowance

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee fired sharp shots at the BJP today, warning that anyone aligning with them faces political ruin, pointing to Bihar's Nitish Kumar as the fresh example.

Speaking from the dharna stage in Kolkata on Saturday, she also reiterated her government's commitment to rolling out Rs 1,500 monthly aid to unemployed youth starting this month under the Banglar Yuva Sathi scheme.

Banerjee didn't hold back in her criticism of the BJP's alliances. "Whoever goes with them is finished," she declared, naming Nitish Kumar as "the latest example" of leaders regretting their ties with the saffron party. This comes amid ongoing political flux in Bihar, where recent reports suggest Nitish Kumar is eyeing a shift to Rajya Sabha, paving the way for BJP to claim the chief minister's post directly. Her remarks echo past jabs, like in 2017 when she accused Nitish of "betraying everyone" after ditching the opposition.

The TMC supremo's dig fits into her broader narrative ahead of the 2026 assembly polls. She has repeatedly portrayed the BJP as divisive, especially over issues like voter list revisions (SIR), which she claims are tools to manipulate elections.

BJP leaders, in turn, dismissed her, with state chief Sukanta Majumdar calling such rhetoric desperate ahead of polls.

Reaffirming welfare promises, Mamata stressed the Rs 1,500 monthly payout for jobless youth aged 21-40 will kick off early this month. Announced in the February 2026 budget by Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, the Banglar Yuva Sathi scheme offers aid until employment or up to five years. Applications ran from 15-26 February, with first payments set for April 1, but today's update signals acceleration to meet youth demands before polls.

This move targets Bengal's youth bulge, countering BJP attacks on unemployment. The scheme joins flagships like Lakshmir Bhandar, with Rs 15,000 crore allocated for women beneficiaries. Officials say over Rs 280 crore has been budgeted for related worker aids too.

Mamata Banerjee's speech comes as West Bengal heats up for 2026 elections, with TMC aiming for 215+ seats while BJP pushes '200 paar' revival. Her BJP barbs align with protests against voter deletions, where she urged women to fight back fiercely. Nitish's flip-flops, allying then breaking with BJP multiple times, make him a handy symbol for her "betrayal" theme.

BJP hit back, accusing Mamata of fearmongering over SIR to shield "infiltrators." Analysts see her youth pledge as a masterstroke to retain the youth vote, mirroring Bihar's NDA wins.