Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s government will table its budget for 2025-26 on Wednesday. The state’s financial situation remains a key topic of discussion. Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, in his address at the Assembly’s budget session, spoke about the financial struggles the state faces due to the “non-receipt of Central funds.”

He also said that despite this, the Trinamul government has continued to fund welfare programs like Karmashree, which ensures employment, and Banglar Bari (Gramin), a rural housing scheme, entirely through state resources.

The Mamata Banerjee-led government has long been in conflict with the Centre over the withholding of funds for key schemes like MGNREGA and PM Awas Yojana. The Trinamul has accused the BJP-led central government of blocking funds out of “political vendetta.”

The BJP claims that corruption in the state’s implementation of these schemes is the reason for the financial restrictions.

Over the years, Bengal's budget sessions have witnessed high political drama, particularly between the ruling Trinamul and the opposition BJP.

Accusations of central neglect, protests, and walkouts were some of the common occurrences. Here is a look back at the last four years:

TTO Graphics

2024: Mamata vs Centre

During the 2024 budget session, Mamata Banerjee spoke about the BJP government in a media conference after the budget session.

“Today’s budget is in such an economic crisis time, when the country is in deep trouble, and is suffering from the negligence of the central government,” she said. “The Bengal Maa Mati Manush Sarkar has shown how to move forward, how to work, how to think about the people and how to speak. People will get ₹1,000 in Lakshmir Bhandar from April onwards, which is a rise from ₹500. We will take 5 lakh boys and girls in various government jobs, this can be in police, teacher or different departments of the government. Around 11 lakh houses of genuinely poor people, after a hundred team reviews from the central government which were cleared and even received letters, have not received money till date. We have kept a provision in this budget today, that we will wait for the central government for one more month. Till then, if they send money, well and good. If not, we will clear the money for their houses from May 1, 2024, onwards. We will also give jobs to sportspeople as per their medals and qualities”

The chief minister further stated:

“I had told you all before that you will be surprised by Budget 2024. One needs to have thinking power. Just by merely running campaigns and telling lies to bring down someone’s name, creating propaganda, and then practising divisive politics, there is no real development. We as a party have only one goal: Bengal must thrive and prosper and must be recognised on the international stage. We want to transform Bengal into a global hub.”

PTI

2023: BJP walkout over governor’s speech

The 2023 budget session led to a walkout by BJP members from the Assembly session. Their main protest was against Governor Bose’s address, which they believed was biased in favor of the ruling TMC. The governor, in his speech, had stated:

“Under the stewardship of my Chief Minister, the preceding year passed off peacefully, and the government is ever alert to maintain law and order and communal harmony in the state. Religious festivities of all hues were celebrated in an atmosphere of mirth and bonhomie, reflective of the spirit of our rich diversity.” To be sure, it is custom that the governor’s speech to the house is generally put together by the state government, and delivered by the governor after assent”

The BJP objected to this portrayal of the state's situation, with Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari saying: “Law and order in the state has deteriorated drastically, and the governor is being made to paint a rosy picture. How can a government make such false statements through the governor in the assembly? We are ashamed.”

BJP MLAs shouted slogans, threw papers in the Well of the Assembly, and eventually walked out in protest.

PTI

2022: Governor address amid slogans

The first day of the 2022 Budget Session in the Bengal Assembly was once again full of chaos as BJP MLAs staged a protest, preventing then-Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar from delivering his inaugural address. The Opposition legislators, led by the BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, stormed into the Well of the House, holding posters and photographs of alleged victims of violence during the then concluded civic elections.

Despite the governor’s repeated pleas to allow proceedings, BJP MLAs continued, raising “Jai Shri Ram” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” slogans. This forced Dhankhar to attempt leaving the House multiple times, but ruling Trinamul MLAs, including chief minister Mamata Banerjee, requested him to stay.

Trinamool members countered the BJP’s slogans with their own chants.

The standoff continued for nearly an hour, with the governor trying thrice to exit the Assembly. Eventually, following repeated requests, Dhankhar formally tabled his speech and left.

Mamata later slammed the BJP for attempting to create a constitutional crisis: “What BJP did today in the Assembly is a shame for democracy. It is unprecedented. The saffron party wanted to create a constitutional crisis. We requested the governor to read at least one line from his speech and table it in the House. He kept our request. We are thankful to him,” she told media persons outside the house.

Suvendu Adhikari defended the protest, stating that the BJP MLAs were taking out their anger over incidents of violence and rigging during the civic polls.

PTI

BJP walkout of 2021

The Bengal Assembly witnessed high drama during the 2021 budget session as well. BJP MLAs staged a walkout raising “Jai Shri Ram” slogans. The issue erupted over Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee presenting the state’s budget statement and vote-on-account, a role traditionally undertaken by the finance minister.

Then-state finance minister Amit Mitra was absent from the Assembly due to health issues, which prompted Banerjee to step in and deliver the statement. The BJP legislators opposed this move, insisting that only the finance minister should read out the budget. They stormed into the Well of the Assembly, demanding that Mitra, and not Banerjee, present the financial statement.

BJP MLAs disrupted proceedings, raising slogans and then staging a dramatic walkout. Speaker Biman Banerjee condemned their actions, stating: “It is a very sad incident. I condemn it. I have never seen this.” Mamata Banerjee also spoke and criticised it: “BJP doesn’t even want to have discussions or debate.”

Mamata then went on to present a vote-on-account worth ₹2.99 lakh crore, making several key announcements. These included increased aid for farmers, infrastructure development, and new educational initiatives. She spoke about her government’s commitment to the state’s progress, stating that Bengal had continued its development work despite a lack of support from the central government.