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Mahayuti woos female voters to counter anti-incumbency sentiment

Apr 30, 2024 08:56 AM IST

Unlike the 2014 and 2019 elections, the low turnout in the first two phases of polling in some constituencies and the possibility of an anti-incumbency wave

MUMBAI: “Prime minister Narendra Modi believes that when a man stands on his feet, only he gets financial independence but when a woman gets employment, she empowers the whole family. I would like to tell the leaders on the dais: please be ready to change the arrangement on stage as women will get 33% reservation in the assembly and Lok Sabha from the next elections,” said deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in one of his rallies recently. The statement was indicative of the BJP-led Mahayuti’s concerted strategy to woo women voters, who account for around 48% of Maharashtra’s electorate.

Thane, India - April ,29, 2024: The voters awareness campaign is going on vigorously for the citizens of the country to vote as much as possible, students and teachers of Saraswati School in Ghodbunder Road, Thane, gave a message to vote as a public awareness. So there should be maximum voting ,in Thane, in Mumbai, India, on, Monday, April,29, 2024. ( Praful Gangurde / HT Photo )
Thane, India - April ,29, 2024: The voters awareness campaign is going on vigorously for the citizens of the country to vote as much as possible, students and teachers of Saraswati School in Ghodbunder Road, Thane, gave a message to vote as a public awareness. So there should be maximum voting ,in Thane, in Mumbai, India, on, Monday, April,29, 2024. ( Praful Gangurde / HT Photo )

Unlike the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the low turnout in the first two phases of polling in some constituencies and the possibility of an anti-incumbency wave, particularly among farmers, are worrying the Mahayuti alliance. Maharashtra has a total of 9.2 crore voters registered before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, of which 4.8 crore are men and 4.4 crore are women. With the total percentage of women voters at almost 48%, the Mahayuti is strategically focusing on female voters, especially those who have benefitted from government schemes.

Fadnavis began cultivating women voters in his speeches after the first phase of the elections. Touting examples of government schemes, he declared that Modi had given 8 lakh crore worth of financial assistance to 80 lakh women’s self-help groups. “From the next elections onwards, male leaders will have to give more space to women leaders, as PM Modi has given them 33% reservation in Parliament and assemblies,” he announced. “Our alliance has also announced various schemes for the benefit of women and the girl child.”

Besides the top leadership talking about the government’s “pro-woman” stand in their speeches, BJP party workers and candidates have been asked to hold meetings with women’s self-help groups and women’s groups active in social-spiritual work. “People are talking about the unrest among farmers and other issues but there is an undercurrent in favour of the Modi government: it comes from women, as they have got various benefits from the government,” claimed a BJP leader. “Thus, the party is focusing on women voters, as this is one way they can change the election results silently.”

In the recently concluded second phase of polling, Rajshri Patil, the Shiv Sena candidate from Yavatmal-Washim, had barely 18 days to campaign. So Sena leaders focused on arranging meetings with women’s self-help groups and those women who had benefited from the schemes under ‘UMED’, a state government initiative aimed at helping women get financial independence. The list of beneficiaries with the Mahayuti alliance made it easy to contact these groups in a short time. MP Shrikant Shinde from Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency also held meetings of women’s self-help groups, which were attended by over 2,000 women.

On Monday, Shinde Sena leader Sheetal Mhatre held a meeting with women who had benefited from government schemes at Hatkanangale in Kolhapur, which around 7,000 women attended. “The central government and the Mahayuti government under CM Shinde have taken several decisions to benefit women,” said Mhatre. “We have the Chief Minister Women Empowerment Scheme. Besides holding large rallies of women, the party has assigned the local leaders of its women’s wing to reach out to women voters in villages and wards in cities to remind them how our government has worked for them. We are also aiming to increase the percentage of women voting in the coming phases, and party workers will appeal to women to vote before 12 noon.”

MVA also trying to woo women voters

* The opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi is also trying to woo women voters by arranging special all-woman meets. Last week, Rashmi Thackeray, wife of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, attended one such at an auditorium in Navi Mumbai, which was part of Thane MP Rajan Vichare’s campaign. Although Rashmi did not speak at the meeting, her presence was seen as a message on how the party was giving importance to women voters.

* NCP (SP) spokesperson Vidya Chavan said that her party had started ‘ghongadi baithaks’ (meetings on blankets) at the village level to reach out to women voters.

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