Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme, Maratha reservation: Key issues impacting voter sentiment this Maharashtra assembly election 2024

Voters in Maharashtra are ready to elect the state's new assembly in less than 10 days from today. While the ruling Mahayuti alliance is banking on welfare schemes as well as Hindutva, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has highlighted issues such as agrarian distress and Marathi Asmita (pride) to counter the ruling alliance. 

Besides this, the MVA is also hoping that the voters in Maharashtra will punish the BJP for breaking up regional parties such as the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Besides this, here are the key issues impacting voter sentiments in Maharashtra elections: 

Freebies galore: Majhi Ladki Bahin, Ladla Bhai schemes

After the drubbing it got in the Lok Sabha elections, the ruling Mahayuti alliance launched the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana with an aim to woo the female voters. This scheme is for women aged between 21 and 60 years whose families have an annual income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh. 

From July to October this year, Rs 1,500 per month has been given to around 2.34 crore women beneficiaries or approximately 80,000 beneficiaries per Vidhan Sabha seat.

The scheme has been largely well-received, with women hailing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's announcement that the dole will be hiked to Rs 2,100 per month if the Mahayuti comes back to power. 

Besides this, the Shinde government launched the Ladla Bhai Yojana for the unemployed youth of the state. Under this scheme, 12th pass students will be given Rs 6,000 per month, diploma holders will get Rs 8,000 and graduates will get Rs 10,000 per month. 

Maratha reservation

The Maratha agitation, led by activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, has resonated with many in the community. Despite Jarange's decision to withdraw candidates, the Marathas are likely to vote against the Mahayuti since they perceive the BJP as a party that did not give Marathas their due credit.

Moreover, Mahayuti leader and OBC strongman Chhagan Bhujbal has openly criticised the demand for Maratha reservation, calling for the OBC community to unite against this to save their share of reservation.

The Maratha community constitutes around 28 per cent of Maharashtra's population and will play a pivotal role in deciding the election's result. 

Hindutva and Identity politics

Riding on the coattails of the success in Haryana, the BJP is banking heavily on Hindutva and identity politics to secure huge gains in Maharashtra. The saffron party is hoping that 'Ek Hain to Safe Hain' does in Maharashtra what 'Batenge toh Katenge' did in Haryana. 

Upping the ante, the RSS, through 65 friendly outfits, has also launched a drive to mobilise Hindu votes for the BJP and its allies, as per media reports. The campaign is not only intended to boost the BJP's push in the assembly polls but also deliver a pushback against a larger attempt to keep Hindus divided and "atomise" them. 

Agrarian distress 

Maharashtra accounts for the highest number of farmer suicides all over India at 37.6 per cent for 2022. Pockets such as Marathwada and Vidarbha are the hotbeds of rural distress, facing droughts and famines. The Mahayuti trailed in these zones during the Lok Sabha polls due to issues such as water scarcity, low crop prices, and a ban on onion exports. 

In order to win over Vidarbha, the Mahayuti has promised to increase the dole under the Shetkari Samman Yojana from Rs 12,000 per annum to Rs 15,000 per annum. The MVA has also promised farm loan waivers. 

The 'Marathi Asmita' bogie

As per the data, migrants make up around 43 per cent of Mumbai's population, of which Gujaratis account for around 19 per cent. Given this, the MVA, especially Uddhav Thackeray, is raking up the Marathi Asmita angle and blaming the BJP for breaking up Marathi parties. 

Some huge projects such as Foxconn and Vedanta have moved to Gujarat, thus, providing Thackeray with firepower to exhort the Marathi Manoos to seek revenge from the BJP.