Explained: How Ladki Bahin Yojana powered Mahayuti to its best-ever show in Maharashtra

Launched in August this year, the scheme envisaged direct transfers of Rs 1,500 per month to women with an annual family income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh. The payout was later increased to Rs 2,100 per month. (File photo)

Defying exit poll predictions, the BJP-led Mahayuti pocketed 230 of the 288 assembly seats to retain power in Maharashtra. On the other hand, the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi’s dream of reclaiming power fizzled out, with the opposition combine managing to garner just 48 seats, including two of the Samajwadi Party.

The BJP, which fielded 149 candidates, secured victories for 132 of them in results announced over the weekend. Its allies Shiv Sena and NCP bagged 57 and 41 seats, respectively.

This landslide victory came just six months after the ruling Mahayuti suffered a major setback in the state in the Lok Sabha polls. While experts see consolidation of OBC and pro-Hindutva votes as one of the factors behind this win, the Ladki Bahin Yojana – the cash transfer scheme for women – is being widely credited as the game-changer.

Ladki Bahin is based on the Ladli Behena scheme launched by then Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Madhya Pradesh, which helped the BJP retain power there in December 2023.

A look at Maharashtra’s voting pattern

The final turnout in the Maharashtra Assembly polls was 66.05 per cent, up from 61.1 per cent in 2019. As per Election Commission data, this jump of nearly five percentage points in overall voter turnout is credited to the women voters.

The women voter turnout rose from 59.26 percent in the 2019 Assembly polls to 65.21 percent this year, an increase of 5.95 percentage points.

The EC data states that while 2,53,90,647 women voted in the 2019 Assembly polls, 3,06,49,318 women voted on November 20, an increase of 52,58,671 voters.

‘Silent voters’: The game changer

Not just the ruling party, but opposition leaders also acknowledged the impact of the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana and the increased turnout of women voters.

In his first remarks on the poll outcome, CM Eknath Shinde credited the landslide victory to the women voters and the Ladki Bahin Yojana. Speaking to reporters, Shinde said, "I thank all my ladki bahins (dear sisters) in the state and the brothers who voted in large numbers for us. The voting trend is an endorsement of our work."

Shinde referred to this initiative as a "major gamechanger" for the state elections.

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar also said the Ladki Bahin scheme, women's participation in voting in large numbers, and religious polarisation may have played a role in Mahayuti's victory in Maharashtra assembly polls.

Launched in August this year, the scheme provided Rs 1,500 per month to women with an annual family income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde later increased the amount to Rs 2,100 and also announced plans to recruit 25,000 women police officers.

Between July and October, the government managed to give beneficiaries Rs 7,500 each and the scheme benefitted 2.4 crore women.

How Mahayuti turned tables in six months

The Mahayuti performed best in five districts of Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Solapur and Thane. Notably, these very districts had the highest number of beneficiaries under the scheme and saw a 6 per cent increase in women voter turnout compared to the Lok Sabha polls in May.

In the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP-led NDA won just 17 of 48 seats, compared to 41 in 2019. On the other hand, the INDIA bloc bagged 30 seats.

Notably, the vote share of the MVA and the Mahayuti stood strikingly close back then — the respective numbers being 43.9 percent and 43.5 percent.

A comparison of both the poll results shows that the Mahayuti alliance has reversed its losses in Vidarbha and rural areas.

In Vidarbha, the Mahayuti secured 48.1 percent vote share in the Assembly polls, a 6.4 percentage point increase compared to its performance in the Lok Sabha elections.

Likewise, in rural areas, the Mahayuti garnered 48.5 percent vote share in the Assembly elections, 9 percentage points higher than its performance in the Lok Sabha polls.

Mahayuti increased its vote share in 138 Assembly constituencies which it could not win in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, and in 66 of them, this increase was more than the victory margin.