The talking point in Bengal is BJP’s money and muscle on display

Women waiting for Amit Shah to land were clad in saffron sarees with BJP’s electoral symbol lotus printed on them. “Modi ji has sent these sarees for us,” one of them confided and added, “Men have got T-shirts with Modi ji’s pictures on them.”

Sarees are not the only merchandise in Bengal with the lotus sign printed on them. BJP leaders deny any connection with the party. Wellwishers could be distributing them is the official line. But one wonders what the Election Commission thinks of them and whether Election Commission’s observers have taken note of the trend. It is of course not rocket sign to find out where they were printed and who paid for them.

A BJP leader, however, claimed that the lotus print sarees and other merchandise are being sold in shops. People may have “bought” them from there.

Political parties have traditionally distributed party flags, badges, literature, caps etc. to its supporters and workers. But in this election, BJP has added to the list other utilities like branded hand fans.

Besides the women, others who had gathered to see the helicopter carrying Home Minister Amit Shah to land also spoke of cash being distributed. But they would not speak on camera. Trinamool Congress produced coupons with Rs 1000 printed on them along with the Prime Minister’s photograph. It was ostensibly an invitation to people to attend the PM’s rally.

What did the amount indicate then?

BJP leaders have come up with different explanations. One was that the coupons were ‘donations’ collected from people to organise the PM’s rally. If poor villagers had indeed donated the amount to the BJP, a report in one of the newspapers said, it would mean that Mamata Banerjee had already ushered in ‘Sonar Bangla’ in the state.

Embarrassed BJP leaders then tried to explain that coupons were actually given to transporters who were ferrying people to the PM’s rally. They could encash the coupons they had. Party workers, they explained, had hired mini trucks with the coupons. From truckers to voters, the coupons could be encashed by anyone of course. Such coupons normally bear details of the printer and how many coupons were printed etc. as in the case of any election—so that the Election Commission may monitor the expenses. But the details were missing in this case.

HazratLaskar, a CPM supporter, says, "A local BJP leader had distributed the said coupons in late March. He had asked the villagers to attend Modi's rally. Some people found this amount attractive and they did go to the rally. But despite taking coupons, many people did not take part in it. I also got a coupon, but I did not go to the rally." According to Laskar, the BJP had said that the coupons could be encashed after the voting.

BJP candidate from Raidighi seat, Shantanu Bapuli, who had switched from Trinamool Congress said, "These coupons were given in lieu of donations from traders. Now we do not know how they reached the villagers. But the allegations of distributing coupons to attend PM’s rally or vote for the party are false."

That BJP is splurging money in Bengal is no news. BJP candidates and campaigners seem to have access to an unlimited number of helicopters with choppers being hired as city cabs.

Says a senior state BJP leader, “The central leadership had assured us that there will be no constraint of money for Mission Bengal.”Although the Election Commission has capped the expenditure permissible by each candidate at Rs 30.8 lakh in Bengal, it is small change compared to what BJP candidates are spending.

Late BJP leader Gopinath Munde had caused a sensation by claiming he had spent Rs eight Crore to win an assembly seat. BJP candidates in Bengal may not be spending that large a sum this time. But it will be many times more than the ceiling, sources in the party concede.