Annapurna Yojana After Bengal Bypoll Wins: Suvendu Adhikari Thanks Women Beneficiaries

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has credited the Annapurna Yojana and the support of women voters while reacting to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) victories in the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly by-elections. His remarks have brought the state government’s flagship women’s welfare scheme into the spotlight following the election results declared on October 9.

The BJP won both constituencies in the bypolls held on October 6. In Nandigram, BJP candidate Hasirani Rath defeated Congress nominee Milan Pradhan by a substantial margin. The party also secured victory in Rejinagar, a constituency with a significant Muslim population, marking an important electoral gain for the BJP.

Reacting to the results, Adhikari thanked voters and highlighted the support his party had received from women and minority communities. He pointed to the outcome in Rejinagar to argue that the BJP had made inroads among voters beyond its traditional support base. However, the constituency results alone do not establish how individual voters or specific beneficiary groups voted.

The Annapurna Yojana was introduced by the new West Bengal government in June 2026, replacing the previous administration’s Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. Under the programme, eligible women receive ₹3,000 per month in financial assistance, aimed at providing greater economic support to women from eligible households.

The scheme has become one of the new government’s key welfare initiatives. The BJP has highlighted the monthly assistance as part of its efforts to strengthen women’s financial security and expand its outreach across communities.

The bypoll results have now added a political dimension to the programme, with the Chief Minister linking the party’s electoral performance to support from women beneficiaries. However, establishing the precise impact of the Annapurna Yojana on voting behaviour would require detailed voter surveys or other supporting evidence.

The results are likely to intensify discussions around welfare schemes, women voters and political support in West Bengal. For the BJP, the victories provide an opportunity to highlight its governance initiatives, while the opposition may continue to question the implementation and reach of the new welfare programme.

As the government moves forward, the focus will remain on the delivery of benefits under the Annapurna Yojana and whether its promised financial assistance reaches all eligible beneficiaries across the state.