Ladki Bahna Yojana—A Game Changer
The Maharashtra government's Ladki Bahna Yojana emerged as a cornerstone of its electoral success, securing widespread support from women voters across the state. The scheme, designed to provide financial aid to women, struck a chord across diverse demographics.
Hailing the scheme, Ajit Pawar said,“Ladki Bahin Yojana became our game changer. It defeated each of our adversaries. I have not seen such a victory in my memory. We will not be swayed away by the victory but this has increased our responsibility for sure. We have to behave responsibly now. Especially financial discipline is needed to fulfil all our promises. We are committed to that."
Launched on Raksha Bandhan (August 2024), the Ladki Bahin scheme offers ₹1,500 monthly to over one crore women in Maharashtra. Modeled after the 'Ladli Behna Yojana' by Shivraj Chouhan's Madhya Pradesh government, the Maharashtra government has pledged that the scheme will continue indefinitely.In an early trial run, more than 30 lakh eligible women received ₹3,000 directly into their bank accounts.
Despite an estimated annual expenditure of ₹46,000 crore, the Ladki Bahna Yojana proved instrumental in winning the trust and loyalty of women voters, significantly influencing the election outcome.
The Role of RSS
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) played a pivotal role in empowering the BJP's electoral campaign, particularly in Haryana , where its cadre worked tirelessly to reach the grassroots. Their efforts ensured BJP's resonance among Hindu, non-Jat, and Dalit communities, giving the party a crucial edge.
In Maharashtra, the RSS adopted a similarly aggressive approach. After the BJP's underwhelming performance in the Lok Sabha elections in northern states, the Sangh redoubled its efforts to support the BJP's campaign. Reports, including one from The Indian Express, highlighted the RSS’s systematic door-to-door outreach, urging voters to back the Mahayuti alliance.
Senior RSS officials credited the Sajag Raho campaign—a personalized voter engagement initiative—as a key factor in bridging caste divides and rallying Hindu voters under a united front.
The RSS’s active participation extended to other states, notably in Uttar Pradesh by-polls, where it played a decisive role in aiding Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath 's campaign. The Sangh even endorsed Adityanath’s slogan, "Batenge toh katenge", underlining its steadfast commitment to promoting Hindu solidarity.
Hindutva in Focus
Both the Maharashtra and Haryana elections witnessed a sharp focus on Hindutva as BJP leaders doubled down on polarizing narratives. Slogans like "Batenge toh katenge" and its toned-down counterpart, "Ek hai toh safe hai", struck a powerful chord with the BJP’s core supporters. These hardline messages effectively countered opposition efforts to consolidate votes from Muslim, Dalit, and Kunbi communities, solidifying BJP’s dominance in both states.
Strategic OBC Outreach
OBCs, comprising nearly 38% of Maharashtra's population, hold influence in around 175 of the 288 assembly seats. Recognizing this, BJP leaders, including Devendra Fadnavis, crafted a focused outreach strategy targeting this demographic. The party employed the "MaDhVa" formula—representing Mali (gardener), Dhangar (shepherd), and Vanjari communities—to strengthen its appeal, particularly following the divisive Maratha reservation agitation.
Current trends indicate that this approach has paid off, with the BJP projected to win 17 seats in the Marathwada region alone.
Mahayuti Decimates MVA
After defeating MVA, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the results of the assembly elections were historic, and decided to whom the Nationalist Congress Party and Shiv Sena belong to.
Holding a joint press conference as the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP coalition was poised to win a massive victory, the leaders of the Mahayuti assured that the next government will be formed smoothly.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the people rejected the politics of appeasement and responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's `Ek Hai toh Safe Hai' message of unity.
NCP chief and deputy CM Ajit Pawar averred that the ruling alliance will not get carried away by the landslide win, and will bring financial discipline.
Referring to the poor showing of the rival factions, both Shinde and Ajit Pawar said the results showed to whom the Shiv Sena and NCP belong.
"After all the results are declared, our MLAs will come to Mumbai, and all three parties will elect their leaders," Fadnavis said.
Shinde pointed out that the three parties had finalised their seat-sharing amicably, and said the government formation process would not face any hinderance.
They learnt lessons from the Lok Sabha debacle and took corrective steps, Ajit Pawar added.
