Maharashtra BJP Banks On Ladki Bahin Scheme For State Polls

A strange thing, this. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), leading the ruling front Mahayuti in Maharashtra, is relying more on the "Ladki Bahin (beloved sister)” scheme than the ‘charisma’ of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, or the strategy of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to check the Opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the coming state Assembly polls.

Seeking to win the election by hook or crook, the “Ladki Bahin” scheme has come as a godsend for the beleaguered ruling front given the response for the scheme in the cities and the countryside among women of the ‘lower strata’ who are thronging the facilitation centres in droves. It also speaks of how women’s issues are neglected in India’s wealthiest state.

Right or wrong, it is the ‘Eureka moment’ for the MahaYuti. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is seeking to expand the goodwill by declaring that the Rs 1,500 from the scheme will be doubled if the BJP and its allies retain power.

It is clear that Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders have been deeply pondering over the matter, and therefore it would not be wrong to assume that women voters of the state have suddenly become important for rival alliances.

Strangely, the Election Commission of India (ECI) did not club the Maharashtra Assembly elections with Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir. Whatever the official clarification, the fact is that Modi-Shah are a concerned duo, and want more time for the ruling alliance to face the

Polls in Maharashtra.

There is a grain of truth in the Opposition’s charges that this has been done by EC to give more time to Eknath Shinde’s Mahayuti government to get mileage out of this scheme in the upcoming polls. “Let the feeling seep in that women are getting benefited”, seems to be the rationale.

Interestingly, stories of the Maharashtra Assembly elections that are to be held after Diwali, had already appeared in the Marathi media before the ECI's recent press conference in New Delhi. Of course, the stories were based on “sources close to the ruling front”.

Some reports even stated that the elections will be held in December, after the deadline for the formation of the new House. But how can it be possible? This is the natural question.

The nervousness in the ruling alliance to face the polls has been known for a long time. Mahayuti has been shying away from holding municipalcorporation polls including those of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation ever since Eknath Shinde became Chief Minister, and splits were carried out in the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party.

In the recently held Lok Sabha elections, the Mahayuti received a major jolt, especially the BJP and Shinde's Shiv Sena which remained confined to single-digit numbers. On the other hand, Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) lost the prestigious Baramati seat and won only one seat.

Only after the humiliating defeat, the Mahayuti government played the Ladki Bahin scheme card as a desperate attempt to retain power. But this shows the BJP-Shiv Sena- NCP's do not have confidence in Modi and Shah.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is already unhappy with the BJP for allying with Ajit Pawar’s NCP, and does not consider Eknath Shinde as the “Hindu Hriday Samrat (ruler of Hindu hearts)”.

The Shinde government is already on the defensive regarding growing unemployment, price rise, women's security, poor civic administration, and the plight of industrial projects to Gujarat and other states.

It hopes that the Ladki Bahin Yojana debate would automatically ignore other issues. Besides, the ECI's silence on when the Maharashtra Assembly polls will be held has made the gossip market hot.

But these diversionary tactics are unlikely to strengthen the BJP-led front, as its partners are pressing for more seats and eying for the Chief Ministership. What if the BJP which claims to be the elder brother in the Mahayuti, also seeks the top post?

In that case, Eknath Shinde does not consider himself a junior partner after winning seven Lok Sabha seats, and Ajit Pawar has never hidden his ambition to be the CM of this premier state.

But none of the three partners are saying they will make a woman CM, despite playing the Ladki Bahin card. Maharashtra had chief ministers from different castes, and communities, but has not had a woman CM so far.