Ek Yojana, Ek Khiladi: Here's what sealed BJP's election victory in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh

The BJP appears to have benefited greatly from the two initiatives, 'Ladli Behena' and 'Mahtari Vandan', in the Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh elections. Even though the BJP has decisively won Madhya Pradesh and is challenging the Congress in Chhattisgarh, the impact of these two schemes has evidently had an effect on the electorate. However, what makes this interesting is that they seem to be connected to Assam. Based on the comparisons, the Arunodoi scheme, which has gained immense popularity in the northeastern state of Assam, is exactly similar to the ‘Ladli Behna’ and ‘Mahtari Vandan’ schemes. 

Himanta Biswa Sarma: The Trump Card

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma actually visited Madhya Pradesh three times prior to the introduction of the ‘Ladli Behna’ scheme, where he met with his counterpart Shivraj Singh Chauhan. In addition, prior to the finalization of the Madhya Pradesh state budget, representatives from the Assam and Madhya Pradesh governments held two separate video conferences and two presentations, respectively. The ‘Arunodoi scheme’ of the Assamese government, like the two other schemes in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, offers financial support to women.

Arunodoi scheme: A Masterpiece 

Women are considered beneficiaries of the Assam government's ‘Arunodoi scheme’ and receive an initial payment of Rs 1250. Furthermore, their medical expenses are covered, and they receive other benefits. Furthermore, the Arunodoi scheme's launch date of October 2, 2020, suggests that it is a tried-and-true program that has produced results for the Assam government led by the BJP. 

Ladli Behna & Mahtari Vandan Yojana

The Ladli Behna Yojana of Madhya Pradesh was introduced on January 28 of this year by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan. An eligible woman will receive Rs. 1250 through this scheme, deposited into her Aadhaar-linked DBT-enabled bank account during her eligibility period. When it comes to Chhattisgarh, the BJP's Mahtari Vandan Yojana, which they presented as a poll plank, assures that every married woman who meets the requirements will receive Rs 1000. 

Support of ‘Women Power’ 

The BJP's apparent lead in Madhya Pradesh's current counting trends, as well as its close battle with the Congress in Chhattisgarh, suggest that female voters have clearly shifted, favoring the saffron party in these two states. The Arunodoi scheme is also thought to have had a significant impact on the voting habits of Assamese women, which helped the BJP win a landslide victory in the state in the 2022 state elections and ultimately place Himanta Biswa Sarma in office as chief minister. 

Game changer & BJP's Massive Victory

It's also important to note that Chief Minister Sarma has been a prominent BJP campaigner in the elections for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana. The fact that he has attended 79 rallies in the lead-up to the elections indicates how actively involved he has been in the BJP's campaigns in the four states. Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, attended about twenty rallies throughout the four states, but Sarma's enormous number of rallies indicates that he has been one of the BJP's most sought-after campaigners in these elections. 

Himanta Biswa Sarma will undoubtedly play a larger role within the saffron party in the future, as seen by the Assam chief minister's significant campaign involvement and the BJP's enormous benefits from the Arunodoi scheme copycatted from the Assam government.