India, April 26 -- In large parts of West Bengal, the coming election is being reduced to a simple household calculation. What is already coming into bank accounts every month versus what could come if power changes hands.

The ruling All India Trinamool Congress is relying on its flagship Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, which now pays about Rs 1,500 a month to general and OBC category women and around Rs 1,700 to SC and ST beneficiaries following a revision in the 2026-27 budget. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has raised the stakes with a promise of Rs 3,000 per month to women if it forms the government, positioning it as a guaranteed entitlement.

On the ground, the contrast is shaping voter conversations more than any other issue. Obse...