- BJP, set to form government in Bengal for first time, attracted a large portion of women's vote
- Women constitute nearly half of state's electorate and are considered a strong force behind Mamata Banerjee
- BJP promised welfare schemes for women, better safety than Trinamool, which had faced some massive protests
'Lakshmi' or 'Annapurna' - there was curiosity about which treasure the women of West Bengal would trust in the 2026 assembly elections. The much-awaited question has been answered on Monday, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) crushing the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and registering a historic win.
The BJP won 207 of the state's 294 seats, up from 77 in the 2021 assembly polls, while the Trinamool was reduced to 80 from 215.
The results also show that the BJP, which is set to form the government in the state for the first time, surprised everyone by attracting a large portion of the women's vote. This year, women's turnout stood at about 93 per cent, two per cent more than men's.
Photo Credit: ANI
Women voters constitute nearly half of Bengal's electorate and have long been considered a strong force behind the Mamata Banerjee-led party, which was in power in 2011.
Trinamool's 'Lakshmir Bhandar' Scheme
The Trinamool banked on its schemes like 'Kanyashree', 'Rupashree' and 'Lakshmir Bhandar' in the past elections and said they empowered women socially, financially and politically.
In the 2021 elections, the party campaigned by presenting Mamata Banerjee as the "daughter of Bengal", and they benefited from it. Polling data showed that the TMC won about 50 per cent of the women's votes in 2021, while the BJP received 35 per cent.
After winning that election, Trinamool further consolidated its women's vote bank by launching the 'Lakshmi Bhandar' scheme.
Mamata Banerjee during the launch of the 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme in May 2022
Under the scheme, women from the general category receive Rs 1,000 per month, while those belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities get Rs 1,200 per month.
The women's vote remained with Trinamool in the 2023 local and 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well.
Ahead of the 2026 elections, the Mamata Banerjee-led government then increased the financial assistance under the 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme to Rs 1,500 per month for the general category and Rs 1,700 for those in the reserved bloc.
BJP's 'Annapurna' Scheme
To take on Mamata Banerjee's much-touted 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme, the BJP promised to launch 'Annapurna Bhandar' if they come to power. Under the scheme, they pledged monthly assistance of Rs 3,000 to every woman, which is said to have made notable inroads into the TMC's women voter segment.
The party also announced welfare promises and safety-related measures targeted exclusively at women.
It promised free travel for women in all state-run buses and a 33 per cent reservation for women in all government jobs, including the police.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah (centre), BJP's Bengal President Samik Bhattacharya (left) and Suvendu Adhikari launch the BJP's manifesto on April 10, 2026
The BJP also targeted the Mamata government over unrest in Sandeshkhali in 2024, where several women accused local Trinamool strongmen of intimidation and sexual abuse, and the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in the same, an incident that triggered outrage across the state and drew thousands of women onto the streets
For women's safety, the BJP promised a women-only "Durga Surokha Squad" for patrolling and also announced a separate self-defence training unit, at least one women's police station in every block and a women's help desk in every police station.
It also offered a welfare package like Rs 21,000 and six nutrition kits for pregnant women from poor families, Rs 50,000 for girls taking admission in graduation courses, free HPV vaccination for girls and women below 40 and free breast cancer screening for economically weaker women above 40.
There were also promises of working women's hostels in every district, higher honorarium for Anganwadi, ASHA and animal welfare workers, measures to prevent child marriage and the creation of 75 lakh "Lakhpati Didis".
Tickets To RG Kar Rape-Murder Victim's Mother, Face Of Sandeshkhali Protests
With an aim to send a message to female voters, the BJP fielded RG Kar rape-murder victim's mother, Ratna Debnath, and Rekha Patra, the face of the Sandeshkhali protests.
Debnath fought from the Panihati assembly segment and defeated the Trinamool Congress' Tirthankar Ghosh, the son of incumbent MLA Nirmal Ghosh, who was accused of unsuccessfully trying to hastily cremate the body of the RG Kar medic.
PM Narendra Modi with Ratna Debnath during a campaign rally
In her campaign rallies, she had been flagging the issue of women's safety and security in the state and underscored her commitment to ensuring that not a single woman faces atrocities any more.
Rekha Patra, a housewife from Sandeshkhali and an alleged torture victim of arrested TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, won the Basirhat constituency against TMC's Ananda Sarkar.
Sandeshkhali survivor Rekha Patra
Allegations of corruption, misgovernance, 'cut money', 'syndicate raj', and administrative failure against the Trinamool government are also believed to have resulted in the voters backing the BJP.
