Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance got a huge victory in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections, securing 235 out of 288 seats. The BJP alone captured a historic 132 seats due to the popularity of its flagship initiative, the Mukhyamantri-Meri Ladki Behan Yojana, a women-focused welfare programme that played an important role in the party’s win.
The elections, held on November 20, were a one-phase contest between the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The Mahayuti coalition, which includes the BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar’s NCP and smaller allies, successfully retained power, while the MVA, led by Congress and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), struggled to make significant headway.
Mahayuti promises higher aid under scheme
Central to the Mahayuti’s success was the Ladki Behan Yojana, a programme that provided Rs 1,500 in monthly financial help to women, benefiting over two crore women across Maharashtra. To build on this support, the Mahayuti has promised to raise the monthly aid to Rs 2,100, with Eknath Shinde further vowing to increase it to Rs 3,000 per month if re-elected.
The scheme’s influence was particularly noticeable among women voters, who played a decisive role in the election. More than 3.06 crore women cast their votes, with higher participation rates in 12 constituencies where they outnumbered male voters. Apart from that, the Mahayuti’s other welfare programmes, such as the Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojana for women’s education and skill development, struck a chord, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.
MVA’s promises lag behind Ladki Behan Yojana’s success
In contrast, the MVA’s promises, including Rs 3,000 monthly aid for women and free bus travel under the Mahalakshmi Scheme, failed to rival the proven success of the Ladki Behan Yojana, leading many women voters to back the ruling coalition.
While the scheme faced opposition, including a Public Interest Litigation in the Bombay High Court questioning its political intent, the court upheld its legality. The court that it followed the proper procedures. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde criticised the opposition for initially opposing the scheme and later introducing similar proposals in their own manifesto.
