What’s frequent within the Meeting polls in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh? All three states have returned incumbent governments and the victories have been powered by girls voters.
Earlier than the Meeting polls, the ruling alliances in all three states had been alleged to be dealing with anti-incumbency. But, the INDIA bloc clinched the Jharkhand polls, whereas Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh (in 2023) had been received by the NDA.
Behind all these victories had been money handout schemes for girls, introduced or tweaked simply forward of the elections. That these schemes had an impression was mirrored within the elevated voting share of ladies in these states.
Up to now decade, girls have emerged as a brand new vote financial institution that seems to be voting on extra than simply identification and emotive points. On condition that they make up the biggest vote financial institution of all at nearly half the voters, each get together has been rolling out schemes that both help their empowerment by way of illustration or reservation in authorities jobs or put cash instantly of their palms.
In Maharashtra, the place the NDA received over three-fourths of the seats after pre-poll hypothesis of a tricky contest, the ladies voting share has risen by nearly 6 share factors in comparison with the 2019 polls within the state.
Following the NDA’s rout in Maharashtra within the Lok Sabha polls earlier this yr, the Eknath Shinde authorities rolled out the Ladki Bahin Yojana, transferring ‘1,500 to girls with an annual household revenue under Rs 2.5 lakh. In 5 districts of the state — Pune, Thane, Nashik, Solapur and Nagpur — which recorded the very best variety of beneficiaries underneath the scheme, the ladies voting share rose by greater than 6 share factors in comparison with the final elections.
In Jharkhand, the place Chief Minister Hemant Soren was dealing with not solely anti-incumbency but additionally corruption allegations, with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arresting the CM earlier this yr, the federal government rolled out the Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana in August this yr. Beneath the scheme, all girls within the age group of 18-50 years get Rs 1,000 monthly. Soren promised to extend it to Rs 2,500 monthly from December 2024.
In the course of the polls, girls voters outnumbered males in 85% of the seats within the state. On 68 out of 81 seats, girls’s turnout was greater than that of males. The ladies voting share jumped from 67% in 2019 to over 70% this time.
In Madhya Pradesh, the place Shivraj Singh Chauhan was dealing with anti-incumbency after a 15-year rule, the state authorities rolled out the Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana in January 2023. Beneath the scheme, girls had been handed out doles of Rs 1,000 each month. This was later elevated to Rs 1,250. Within the Meeting elections that adopted, girls voter turnout elevated by over two share factors and the BJP swept the polls.
Within the Maharashtra and Jharkhand polls, the NDA had additionally relied on communal discourse with “Batenge to katenge” and “Ek hain to protected hain” slogans because the overarching narrative. It was extra shrill in Jharkhand the place “infiltration” in tribal areas was made a problem. The differing outcomes for the NDA within the two states could point out once more that schemes concentrating on girls had a better position to play.
In all of this, nevertheless, Rajasthan turned out to be an exception. The erstwhile Ashok Gehlot authorities, too, had rolled out a number of schemes for girls, together with distribution of smartphones, free sanitary napkins and cheaper fuel cylinders. They differed from schemes in MP, Maharashtra and Jharkhand in not being money dole. Regardless of Gehlot’s schemes being standard, the Congress misplaced the polls to the BJP.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was the primary to determine girls as a separate vote financial institution. He rolled out a number of schemes concentrating on them. The Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy authorities in Andhra Pradesh was among the many first to start out money schemes for girls. In 2020, the YSRCP authorities launched the Jagananna Amma Vodi scheme that gave out Rs 15,000 per yr to moms for sending their kids to highschool. The TDP authorities underneath Chandrababu Naidu has continued the dole underneath a brand new scheme.
In 2021, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee launched the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme that offers Rs 1,000 each month to economically deprived girls. Many say, this helped Banerjee stall the BJP surge within the state within the Lok Sabha polls.
Many state governments have began money doles for girls. In Karnataka, the Congress authorities launched the Gruha Lakshmi scheme after coming to energy in August final yr. The scheme provides Rs 2,000 each month to the girl head of a BPL household.
In September final yr, the DMK authorities launched Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam, a women-centric scheme whereby one crore girls could be paid Rs 1,000 monthly. In December that yr, the Congress authorities in Telangana, which had simply come to energy, launched the Mahalaxmi scheme, which permits free bus rides for girls and palms out money doles of Rs 2,500 monthly.
The BJP authorities in Chhattisgarh introduced the Mahtari Vandan Yojana in March this yr the place Rs 1000 is given to eligible married girls.
In Odisha, the BJP authorities introduced the Subhadra scheme for girls shortly after coming to energy earlier this yr. Beneath the scheme, poor girls could be paid Rs 50,000 over 5 years.
The AAP-led Delhi authorities, which can face Meeting polls subsequent yr, has already introduced Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana the place girls above 18 years of age might be given Rs 1000 each month.
