Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls 2023: Congress, BJP vie to woo women voters

The elections for all the 230 seats in the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly will be held on November 17. The results will be declared on December 3.

Stepping up their poll campaigns in Madhya Pradesh, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on November 8 addressed rallies at various locations in the election-bound state and attacked each other’s parties.

While addressing a rally in Sanwer, Priyanka said Congress had a comprehensive "Suraksha Chakra" (security cover) plan for women in Madhya Pradesh. "When a girl child is born, the family will receive Rs 2.5 lakh. School-going girls will receive financial support ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1500, and Rs 1.1 lakh will be provided for a girl's marriage," she said. She also announced that every household headed by a woman will receive Rs 1,500, and senior citizen women will be entitled to an old-age pension of Rs 1,200.

Recently, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that he does not run a government but a family. “I will make my sisters a millionaire. Now, our government has been providing money to every woman on a monthly basis. But the amount will increase gradually. I am not joking. This is my vision,” he said while addressing a rally.

Also read: Chouhan battles high inflation, slowing growth but scores on high employment numbers

Both Congress and BJP are vying to attract women voters in the state. Women constitute 47.8 percent of the total population in Madhya Pradesh while men comprise 52.1 percent, according to the Election Commission.

A report by CNBCTV 18 revealed that in the 2018 assembly elections, women's voter turnout was higher than that of men in 52 seats of the total 230 seats. As many as 10 seats were dominated by women in the 2018 assembly election, stated the report.

Catch Live updates of 2023 Assembly polls here.

Here’s a look at what each party promised women ahead of the upcoming assembly polls.

BJP

The party has already introduced several schemes for women in the state. Chief Minister Chouhan introduced plans, including a 35 percent reservation for women in government jobs (excluding forest department) and allocating 50 percent of teaching positions to them.

Under Ladli Bahna Yojana, the state government provides monthly aid to women at Rs 1,250 per month. Ladli Laxmi Yojana aims at improving the health of women and curb female foeticide and child marriages. “Girls were killed in the womb itself, so we have made the Chief Minister Ladli Laxmi Yojana for girls. Now, 956 girls are born for every 1000 boys in Madhya Pradesh," Chouhan had said last month.

From September 1, the state government had also announced provision of LPG gas cylinders at a subsidised rate of Rs 450 under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana and the Mukhyamantri Ladli Bahna Yojana.  All consumers under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana and non-Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana category registered under the Ladli Behna Yojana with gas connections in their names are eligible for the scheme.

Congress

The party released its manifesto in October where it also made a slew of poll promises for the women in the state. Under Nari Samman Nidhi, an aid of Rs 1,500 per month will be provided to women. The Congress also promised to provide LPG cylinders at Rs 500. The party will provide assistance of Rs1.01 lakh for weddings. Loans up to Rs 25 lakh will be provided for startups at 3 percent interest rate. It also promised housing for rural homeless women, and free transportation on metropolitan bus services. If the party comes to power, it promised to launch “Meri Bitiya Rani”. Under this scheme, every daughter born in the state will be given an amount of Rs 2.51 lakh spanning from birth till marriage.