Maharashtra Assembly Election Result 2024
In Maharashtra, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance appears to be returning to power with a huge majority. The BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP have together eliminated the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi. In the trend of 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra, Mahayuti is seen winning 221 seats, while Maha Vikas Aghadi is seen limited to 55 seats. Congress, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar’s NCP(S) party could not show any impact.
In the Lok Sabha elections, Congress trio Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar had dealt a blow to the BJP-led grand alliance, but the scenario has changed in five months. The BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP alliance will win over 220 seats. In such a situation, the question arises whether what changed in Maharashtra in five months is that Maha Vikas Aghadi, which had performed better in the Lok Sabha in 2024, completely failed and Mahayuti not only came back strongly but also arrived to power with a two-thirds majority appears to be returning.
How has the panorama changed in five months?
Taking lessons from the defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-led grand alliance took several important steps. The Shinde government initiated many populist schemes and worked to take them to the people. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Vice President Ajit Pawar visited all areas of Maharashtra and tried to create a political atmosphere. The Ladli Brahmin program for women was launched, which has proven important in the elections. This apart, the BJP’s move to correct its distorted political equation proved effective. There were many important reasons which turned out to be a political lifeline for BJP-Shinde and Ajit Pawar in the Maharashtra elections.
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Trump Laadli Bahana Yojana Card
Ladli Brahmin Yojana, launched by the Shinde government for women, has proven to be an important link for Mahayuti. He also learned a lesson from the defeat in the Lok Sabha and aggressively promoted the populist plan. Efforts have been made to woo women voters through the Ladli Brahmin Yojana. The Ladli Behna scheme, which provides Rs 1,500 every month to over two million women in Maharashtra, is seen as a major factor in the victory. The Shinde government had worked day and night to extend the benefits of the scheme to as many women as possible. The government worked hard to make this scheme reach women as soon as possible and this benefit was extended to women at all levels before the elections, due to which there was a significant increase in women’s vote in the state.
polarization of Hindu votes
The issue of threat to the Constitution and Rahul Gandhi’s reservation in the Lok Sabha elections had dealt a blow to the BJP-led Grand Alliance. Hindu voters in Maharashtra were completely dispersed across castes, the loss of which was a blow to the BJP-Shinde-Ajit Pawar. In the assembly elections, the BJP managed to completely unify the Hindu votes scattered across castes. The BJP’s slogan of “Katoge to Batoge” and “If you remain united, you will be safe” proved effective in uniting Hindu votes.
The BJP and its allied leaders established the Vote Jihad narrative during their election campaign, through which they attempted to show that the Muslim community has united and voted against the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. Its impact is also visible in the assembly elections. There was a polarization of Hindu votes in favor of the BJP as the support of many Muslim ulama for Maha Vikas Aghadi proved costly. The tactic of maintaining silence on the Maratha reservation movement has also proven useful for the BJP. Due to this, he managed to woo both Maratha and OBCs. The BJP and its alliance focused a lot on the OBC votes in the state. The party tried to ensure that OBC votes were not dispersed. The OBC has come out in solidarity in favor of Mahayuti.
RSS activism
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s activism in the Maharashtra elections was politically beneficial for the BJP and its allies. The Sangh worked at the grassroots level with its 36 partner organisations. The Sangh, along with its affiliated organisations, worked at the grassroots level by forming small groups on the ground. Workers of Sangh-associated organizations like Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, Mazdoor Sangh, Kisan Sangh, Rashtra Sevika Samiti and Durga Shakti campaigned door-to-door under the banner of ‘Jagran Manch’. These organizations are making people aware of issues like territorial jihad, love jihad, conversion, stone pelting, riots, corruption, oppression of women and were seen asking people to vote 100 percent. The decision by the Sangh and its allies to take voters to booths turned out to be a major factor for the BJP.
The BJP’s electoral management
The BJP has managed to completely change the political atmosphere by involving not only its top leaders but also its grassroots level workers in the Maharashtra elections. While Union Home Minister Amit Shah took over electoral management of Maharashtra and brought it down, Prime Minister Modi changed the political atmosphere through his public meetings. This time the BJP also paid special attention to Vidarbha. Mahayuti has greatly improved his situation in Vidarbha. Apart from this, in Marathwada and Western Maharashtra, the BJP used an aggressive Hindutva strategy to neutralize the impact of the Maratha reservation movement. The BJP’s ploy to ruin the Maha Vikas Aghadi equation through electoral jihad worked. When the Hindutva agenda was set, a decision was taken to get Dalit votes as well. Along with caste equation, he also managed to help farmers.
