Adhikari challenges CM’s report card ahead of her Malda visit
The Statesman | 3 December 2025
Ahead of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s visit to Gazole in Malda on Wednesday, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday challenged her to present a transparent “report card” on development before seeking votes for the 2026 Assembly elections.
Even as the Trinamul Congress geared up for the Chief Minister’s public meeting, Mr. Adhikari attended a religious programme in English Bazaar, where he unveiled an idol of Hanuman at a local temple. He later led a march with hundreds of devotees and BJP supporters, calling for “unity among Hindus” ahead of the polls.
Speaking to reporters, the LoP sharply criticised the state government’s claims of 40 per cent growth in employment generation.
“The total number of unemployed people was one crore during the Left regime; now it has gone up to 2.15 crore,” Mr Adhikari alleged. “The last SSC examination was held in 2015 and the last PSC in 2017. Where is the recruitment? This government has denied lakhs of eligible candidates their rightful jobs.”
He further demanded answers on why 51 employment exchange centres remain non-functional and questioned the status of the Rs 1,500 unemployment allowance and the Yuvashree scheme.
On industrialisation, Mr Adhikari dismissed the government’s figures as “fabricated”.
“There has been no industrial development in Bengal after Ratan Tata left Singur. His remark—‘I am going to good M (Modi in Gujarat) from bad M (Mamata in Bengal)’—says everything about the state of industry under this government,” he claimed.
Recalling earlier visits to Malda alongside Miss Banerjee, the BJP leader said the Chief Minister had “failed to keep her promises” to the local community and those involved in mango and litchi cultivation. He also accused the state government of failing to protect residents of Bhuni and Baishnabnagar from repeated flooding and erosion.