Trinamool Congress’s rivals might criticise Mamata Banerjee for “prioritising dole over job”, but the two staunch critics of the chief minister’s policies — the BJP and the CPM — are making the most of the pre-poll opportunity to connect with youths at Yuva Sathi camps.

In East Burdwan’s Katwa and in Jalpaiguri, grassroots workers of the BJP and the CPM were seen setting up camps and help desks at the Yuva Sathi camps to assist youths in submitting application forms for the state government’s newly launched financial assistance scheme for the educated unemployed.

In Jalpaiguri, BJP youth activists led by a local gram panchayat head were spotted extending support to applicants, while CPM workers were seen doing the same in Katwa. The visuals handed Trinamool an opportunity to taunt the Opposition, claiming that despite strong public opposition to the scheme, their grassroots cadres were ignoring the party line.

The first such instance was reported from Katwa, where CPM supporters set up a help desk near the
passenger shed in front of the Katwa 2 block development office. They were seen assisting applicants from poor and marginal communities and even used CPM flags to mark their presence — a striking contrast to the party’s official criticism of
the scheme.

CPM leadership had called the programme an example of dole politics, with senior leaders such as Sujan Chakraborty arguing that long queues of unemployed youths reflected the collapse of job opportunities in Bengal.

Local CPM workers, however, defended their actions. Those seen helping applicants said the effort was aimed at ensuring that poor beneficiaries were not deprived because of “technical errors” while submitting forms.

CPM leader in Katwa Madhai Ghosh said: “Youths in Bengal are desperately searching for jobs. In such a situation, the government offers a paltry sum, which cannot replace employment. Still, it is people’s money, and they deserve to get it. We are here to ensure that the poor are not deprived because of technical errors. Both governments at the Centre and in the state are not interested in creating jobs and instead distribute doles.”

A similar justification came from BJP leaders in Jalpaiguri.

Amit Das, who heads the Bahadur gram panchayat, claimed the BJP had never opposed financial assistance schemes per se but had questioned their intent, arguing that such initiatives highlight the grim employment scene in the state.

Das was seen visiting an administrative camp in the Pandapara-Battala area near Jalpaiguri town, checking whether applicants faced difficulties and directing youth wing members to assist them in filling and submitting forms — a role usually associated with ruling party activists.

The development prompted sharp reactions from Trinamool leaders present at the site.

Local INTTUC leader Subhankar Mishra said: “BJP activists like Amit Das are coming forward out of moral compulsion after realising their party only made hollow promises like depositing ₹15 lakh in people’s bank accounts and two crore job opportunities. BJP supporters now see that Mamata Banerjee keeps her promises and offers nothing fake. That is why they are not only helping applicants — even youths who support them are applying for the scheme.”

Das dismissed the criticism, saying: “It is public money and every eligible person has the right to it. The state government has failed to create jobs and is trying to pacify angry youths with cash assistance. This scheme does not reflect well on the state; it exposes a bankrupt economy and job market. The Trinamool leadership is trying to glorify that bankruptcy.”

Senior BJP leaders, however, downplayed the incidents, calling them isolated deviations.

A BJP leader in Calcutta said: “We never opposed financial assistance schemes because people have a right to government funds. But in principle, we oppose such doles because they do not solve the core problem. The Trinamool government is forced to offer ₹1,500 because it failed to provide jobs to lakhs of youths.”

The leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, struck a guarded note.

“People are intelligent enough to understand the government’s objective, and they will give an appropriate reply,” said Adhikari.

Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh escalated the political attack, daring both the BJP and the CPM to take a firm stand. “If they have the courage, let them instruct their workers not to apply for Yuvasathi and see the result,” he said, framing the episode as proof that the Opposition’s public rhetoric and ground reality were increasingly at odds.