Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said the state government is considering a financial incentive of Rs 25,000 for couples from the birth of their second child onwards in an effort to address the declining birth rate.

Speaking in the state Assembly, the chief minister said the proposal is part of a broader effort to increase the state’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR), which currently stands at 1.5. He noted that the government aims to raise it to 2.1, which is considered the replacement level needed to maintain population stability.

Naidu said the government is exploring what he described as a “novel method” to encourage families to have more children.

“We are looking at a novel method. We will give Rs 25,000 to parents having a second child or more at the time of delivery itself. This will be a big game-changer. If we can do it, it will be very useful,” he told the Assembly.

Population policy likely soon

Highlighting global demographic trends, the chief minister said several countries are facing difficulties due to ageing populations and declining birth rates. He stressed the importance of population management in planning long-term economic and social development.

According to Naidu, the state government is preparing a population management policy that is expected to be released by the end of March.

He said the policy could come into effect from April once finalised, and it will focus on addressing the state’s demographic challenges.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to address a major rally at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground on March 14, the Bharatiya Janata Party is refining its political strategy in West Bengal. The party aims to build on its earlier electoral gains while responding to new developments, including the controversy surrounding the revision of electoral rolls.

The rally is expected to mark the beginning of the next phase of the BJP’s political mobilisation in the state after the completion of nine Parivartan Yatras across different regions.

Welfare pitch and targeted campaign

According to party leaders, the BJP is planning a stronger welfare and development package in its manifesto to counter the cash support schemes run by the ruling All India Trinamool Congress government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

A senior BJP leader said examples from states like Bihar and Maharashtra, where women have received financial assistance through welfare programmes, are being cited to highlight the party’s record of delivering on promises.

At the same time, the BJP is planning a more focused electoral strategy rather than aggressively contesting every seat. Party leaders believe a targeted approach centred on welfare, law and order, and economic opportunities could help consolidate support among Hindu voters in the state.

Learning from the 2021 election

The BJP’s rise in Bengal remains central to its current planning. The party grew significantly in the state during the last Assembly election, increasing its tally from three seats previously to 77 seats and becoming the main opposition to the TMC.

However, the 2024 general election saw a decline in the party’s performance, with the BJP winning 12 seats compared with 18 in 2019.

Senior leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, have been closely monitoring the campaign strategy along with party leaders responsible for the state such as Bhupender Yadav, Amit Malviya, Biplab Kumar Deb, and Sunil Bansal.

One lesson from the 2021 campaign, party leaders say, was the overdependence on leaders who had defected from the TMC ahead of the polls. According to them, electoral success in Bengal depends heavily on strong grassroots cadres.

Political mapping of the state

The BJP’s internal assessment divides the state into three broad political zones.

The northern belt includes districts such as Darjeeling, Alipurduar, Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar, extending towards Malda. The party has gradually built support here among tea garden workers and Rajbanshi voters.

The central belt, stretching from Purulia to Howrah and Hooghly, includes traditional BJP strongholds such as the Medinipur and Bardhaman regions.

The southern stretch, covering parts of North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas, remains more challenging. Here the BJP is focusing on consolidating support among communities such as Matua and Namasudra voters, including Hindu refugees who migrated from Bangladesh.

Several senior TMC leaders, including Mamata Banerjee and party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, represent constituencies in this region.

Minority vote and voter roll controversy

The Muslim vote continues to play a decisive role in Bengal’s electoral politics, particularly in districts like Murshidabad, Malda, and parts of North and South 24 Parganas, where the TMC has traditionally enjoyed strong support.

Meanwhile, a political dispute has emerged over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The exercise aims to update and verify voter lists but has been criticised by the TMC, which claims it could lead to the removal of voters in minority-dominated areas.

Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of attempting to influence the electoral process through administrative means. The BJP has rejected the allegation, stating that the revision is a routine procedure conducted by the Election Commission of India to maintain accurate voter records.

Cultural messaging and urban voters

The BJP is also adjusting its messaging strategy in the state. Unlike the 2021 campaign, where religious processions were a prominent feature, the party is now placing greater emphasis on Bengali cultural symbols and regional identity.

In recent speeches in Bengal, Prime Minister Modi has begun with invocations such as “Jai Ma Kali,” signalling an effort to combine cultural appeal with broader political messaging.

Party leaders also note that the BJP saw a rise in vote share in several urban areas during the 2024 general election and hopes to expand that support in future contests.

CV Ananda Bose has resigned as the Governor of West Bengal, according to sources. The development comes ahead of the upcoming state assembly election and follows a period marked by differences between the governor and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Sources indicated that Bose is currently in Delhi. However, the reasons behind his resignation have not yet been made public.

Reacting to the development, Mamata Banerjee said she was “shocked and deeply concerned” by the sudden move.

She also claimed that RN Ravi, who is presently serving as the Governor of Tamil Nadu, will be appointed as the next Governor of West Bengal.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Banerjee said the reasons for Bose’s resignation were not known to her at the moment.

“The reasons behind his resignation are not known to me at this moment. However, given the prevailing circumstances, I would not be surprised if the Governor has been subjected to some pressure from the Union Home Minister to serve certain political interests on the eve of the forthcoming State Assembly elections,” she wrote.

Banerjee further alleged that the Union Home Minister informed her that RN Ravi would be appointed as the Governor of West Bengal, but said she was not consulted beforehand.

She said such a move goes against established conventions and weakens the federal structure.

“Union Home Minister just informed me that Shri R.N. Ravi is being appointed as Governor of West Bengal. He never consulted with me as per the established convention in this regard. Such actions undermine the spirit of the Constitution of India and strike at the very foundation of our federal structure. The Centre must respect the principles of cooperative federalism and refrain from taking unilateral decisions that erode democratic conventions and the dignity of States,” Banerjee said.