Allegations Mount as Opposition Claims PM Modi Times Welfare Schemes to Coincide with Elections

New Delhi, September 4, 2025 — As India approaches the Bihar assembly elections in November 2025, opposition parties have intensified their criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of strategically announcing welfare schemes to influence voters during election seasons. The charge, a recurring theme since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014, has gained traction following recent high-profile announcements, including the GST rate rationalization and the launch of the Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana. Political analysts and opposition leaders argue that such moves reflect a pattern of “billboard governance,” while the BJP defends the timing as part of its ongoing commitment to development. This debate has sparked a broader discussion about the ethics of electoral timing and the effectiveness of India’s welfare programs.

Recent Announcements Fuel Controversy

The latest flashpoint came on September 3, 2025, when the GST Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, announced a simplified two-tier GST structure of 5% and 18%, with a 40% tax on luxury goods, effective from September 22, 2025, coinciding with Navratri. Prime Minister Modi described the reform as a “Diwali gift” for the common man, aimed at boosting consumption and easing the tax burden on essentials. Additionally, on September 1, 2025, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, a job creation scheme touted as a step toward transforming India’s demographic dividend into economic prosperity. These announcements, made just months before the Bihar elections, have drawn sharp criticism from the opposition.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, a key figure in Bihar’s opposition INDIA bloc, accused Modi of “vote bank politics,” claiming that schemes are launched with fanfare before elections but often lack follow-through. “Why do we see a flood of schemes only when polls are near? Where is the implementation after the votes are counted?” Yadav asked during a rally in Patna on August 29, 2025. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh echoed this sentiment on X, dubbing the GST announcement a “PR stunt” and pointing to Modi’s Independence Day speech on August 15, 2025, where he first hinted at the GST overhaul. Ramesh noted that the timing—close to the festive season and elections—has dampened consumption as consumers delay purchases in anticipation of lower prices.

Historical Context: A Pattern of Timing?

The opposition’s allegations are rooted in a perceived pattern over Modi’s tenure. Since 2014, the Modi government has launched numerous high-profile schemes, many announced or highlighted during election cycles:

• 2014 (Pre-Lok Sabha Elections): The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, launched on August 28, 2014, aimed at financial inclusion, was announced months before the 2014 general elections, with Modi describing it as a “festival to celebrate the liberation of the poor.” Critics, including the Congress, accused the BJP of rebranding existing UPA schemes like the Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account to claim credit.
• 2019 (Pre-Lok Sabha Elections): The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), providing ₹6,000 annually to farmers, was announced in the February 2019 interim budget, just weeks before the general elections. The scheme was later criticized for inadequate coverage, with only 60% of eligible farmers receiving funds by 2020, according to a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report.
• 2020–2021 (Pre-State Elections): The PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, offering free food grains to 80 crore ration card holders, was launched in March 2020 and extended in 2021, aligning with assembly elections in West Bengal and other states. Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal’s Chief Minister, accused Modi of taking credit for centrally funded schemes while states managed implementation.
• 2024–2025 (Pre-Bihar Elections): The Viksit Bharat Yatra, launched in November 2024 to ensure saturation of flagship schemes, and the recent GST reforms have been flagged by opposition leaders as timed to sway voters in Bihar, a key battleground state.

A 2024 report by The Reporters’ Collective found that 71.9% of the Modi government’s 906 central sector schemes between 2019 and 2024 were underfunded, with one in five receiving less than half the promised budget. The report highlighted cases like the Pradhan Mantri Karam Yogi Maan Dhan pension scheme, announced in July 2019 with a ₹750 crore pledge but funded with only ₹155.9 crore in its first year, suggesting that many schemes are launched with electoral fanfare but falter in execution.

Opposition’s Critique: “Billboard Governance”

The term “billboard governance,” coined by critics, encapsulates the opposition’s argument that Modi’s schemes are designed for maximum visibility during election campaigns but lack sustained funding or impact. The 2019 BJP manifesto promised initiatives like Eklavya Model Residential Schools, targeting 740 schools by 2025–26 for tribal children. However, by December 2023, only 401 schools were operational, with funding shortages noted by the Parliament Standing Committee. Similarly, flagship schemes like Namami Gange and Ayushman Bharat have faced criticism for receiving more sanctions than actual expenditure, according to a 2021 CAG audit.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X on August 27, 2025, accused Modi of “starting speculation” about GST reforms to create a pre-election buzz, only to leave implementation details vague. The opposition also points to the use of Modi’s image in scheme advertisements—from Jan Dhan to Swachh Bharat—as evidence of a personality-driven campaign strategy. A 2024 NPR report noted that Modi’s face dominates government ads, with ministers’ X handles often identifying as “Modi’s family,” reinforcing his cult of personality ahead of elections.

The opposition further argues that schemes are used as electoral tools to target specific voter groups. For instance, the PM-KISAN scheme was seen as an attempt to woo farmers, a significant voting bloc, before the 2019 elections, while the Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana targets youth unemployment, a pressing issue in Bihar, where 23% of youth are jobless, per a 2024 CMIE survey.

BJP’s Defense: Continuous Governance, Not Electoral Ploys

The BJP has dismissed the allegations as “baseless” and politically motivated. Union Minister Anurag Thakur, speaking to ANI on September 2, 2025, argued that the Modi government’s schemes are part of a “continuous development agenda” rather than election-driven. “Our schemes like Jan Dhan, Swachh Bharat, and Make in India have transformed lives over a decade. The opposition only cries foul when they see their electoral prospects dimming,” Thakur said.

The BJP points to the scale and impact of its welfare programs as evidence of genuine intent. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, for instance, has opened over 50 crore bank accounts since 2014, with deposits exceeding ₹2 lakh crore by 2023, according to the Ministry of Finance. The Swachh Bharat Mission, launched in October 2014, achieved 100% sanitation coverage by 2019, building over 12 crore toilets, per government data. The party argues that these long-term initiatives refute claims of short-term electoral gimmicks.

On the GST reforms, Finance Minister Sitharaman emphasized that the decision was based on years of deliberation by the GST Council and the Group of Ministers on Rate Rationalisation, not a last-minute electoral ploy. “The opposition wants to politicize a reform that will benefit 140 crore Indians. They have no vision to offer,” she said at a press conference on September 3, 2025.

The BJP also accuses opposition-ruled states of taking credit for centrally funded schemes. In 2021, Union Minister Smriti Irani criticized West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee for claiming credit for Ayushman Bharat, while in 2020, Modi accused the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi of delaying centrally sponsored schemes. These counter-allegations suggest a broader political tussle over scheme ownership.

Expert Analysis: Electoral Strategy or Governance?

Political analysts offer mixed perspectives on the timing of Modi’s scheme announcements. Sanjay Ruparelia, a professor at the University of Toronto, told DW in April 2024 that welfare schemes are often used as “vote banks,” with the BJP leveraging its implementation record to consolidate support, as seen in the 2017 and 2022 Uttar Pradesh elections. The 2019 general election saw the BJP’s campaign heavily feature schemes like PM-KISAN and Ayushman Bharat, contributing to its landslide victory.

However, some experts argue that the timing reflects practical governance constraints rather than deliberate electoral strategy. Former Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg told The Indian Express in August 2025 that major announcements often align with budget cycles or festive seasons to maximize public impact, not necessarily elections. “The GST reform, for instance, was in the works since 2024. Announcing it before Diwali makes economic sense to boost consumption,” Garg said.

Critics, however, point to implementation gaps. The Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) under NITI Aayog has noted challenges in evaluating schemes like Ayushman Bharat, where outcomes are harder to quantify compared to infrastructure projects. A 2021 Supreme Court advisory cautioned the government to consider fiscal capacity when launching schemes, citing shortages in schools and teachers under the Right to Education Act.

Public Sentiment and Economic Impact

Public sentiment on X reflects polarized views. Posts from @PMOIndia on September 3, 2025, praised the GST reforms as empowering the middle class and farmers, while @SaketGokhale, an opposition voice, criticized Modi’s “PR-driven” announcements, arguing they disrupt markets by creating uncertainty. Economists warn that poorly timed announcements, like the GST rate cut, could delay consumer spending, as seen in a 2% dip in FMCG sales in August 2025, per NielsenIQ data.

The economic impact of these schemes varies. While PM-KISAN has disbursed ₹3.45 lakh crore to 11 crore farmers since 2019, a 2023 CAG report flagged delays in payments and exclusion of 20% of eligible farmers. The Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, aimed at job creation, is projected to cost ₹50,000 crore over five years, but its success depends on private-sector uptake, which remains uncertain given India’s 7.8% unemployment rate in 2024, per CMIE.

Looking Ahead: Electoral and Policy Implications

As Bihar’s elections approach, the opposition is likely to make the timing of schemes a central campaign issue, framing it as evidence of the BJP’s “electoral desperation.” The NDA, in turn, is banking on schemes like the GST reform and Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana to appeal to Bihar’s youth and rural voters, key demographics in a state with 78.9 million voters.

The broader question is whether Modi’s scheme announcements will translate into electoral gains or deepen public skepticism. With the ECI already facing heat over alleged voter roll manipulation in Bihar, the controversy over scheme timing adds another layer of complexity to the electoral landscape. As India navigates this debate, the balance between governance and electoral strategy remains a contentious issue, with implications for trust in both the political system and the welfare state.

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