Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Monday accused the Opposition BJP of making false promises of financial assistance to poor women merely to win the Assembly elections.

Soren said: “Four months ago, when we announced that we would give ₹1000 monthly to the women need, the Opposition parties (BJP) made fun of us. However, we did send the amount to the beneficiaries every month.”

The chief minister was addressing at an event in Ranchi after transferring ₹1415.44 crore to the bank accounts of 56.61 lakh beneficiaries under the Maiya Samman Yojana,

He added: “When we announced, prior to the Assembly elections, that we would give ₹2500 monthly to women, they again started scoffing at us and questioned from where we could arrange the funds to meet the huge expense incurred on the exchequer.”

“Later, the Opposition parties themselves started making a false promise of giving ₹2,100. They raised questions about where so much money would come from. During a personal meeting, the Opposition leaders asked us where you would bring so much money. We also asked them that since they were making such an announcement (₹2,100), from where would they bring the money. Their leaders used to say that after the elections were over, they would think about whether to give it or not,” claimed Soren.

“However, we had promised to pay the amount in December and have fulfilled the promise immediately after winning the elections,” he said.

Hemant continued to take a dig at BJP star campaigners, including Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and said: “Many political party leaders make false promises. They mislead people and show false dreams. Whenever elections come, star campaigners come seeking votes from men. None of them are genuinely interested in seeking to improve the lives of women.”

Last week, JMM central general secretary and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya accused the BJP of “fund embezzlement” under the guise of collecting of ₹500 for filing up forms for the Gogo Didi Yojana (a monthly assistance scheme of ₹2100 for women that the BJP promised, if voted to power).

Hemant Soren also thanked the women of the state for the landslide victory of the coalition government during the November Assembly elections.

“You listened to us in the elections, you had already made up your mind that you will form our government. Many things will change rapidly in the coming days. We gave rations for free. The government is providing children’s education, writing materials, and everything for free. Electricity has been made free. You trusted in our promises and gave us a historic mandate. We would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” said Soren.