BJP’s alliance partners Shiv Sena, NCP reach out to ladies

Mumbai: In the run up to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, BJP’s Maya Yuti (NDA) regional allies, Shiv Sena and NCP, are aggressively reaching out to women with the tri-party alliance government's flagship scheme - Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.

The BJP, however, is yet to go full steam, and reach out to the people, with the scheme.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is the chief leader of Shiv Sena and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is the NCP President, had planned major outreach programmes to cover the state and reach out to the people across the five regions of Konkan, Western Maharashtra, North Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha.

Tabling the Budget 2024-25, Pawar, who holds the Finance portfolio, rolled out the Mukhya Mantri Mazhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, with an annual outlay of Rs 46,000 crore.

Thorugh the scheme, the government will provide Rs.1500 per month to eligible women between 21 to 65 years of age, for the overall progress of women, including economic independence, self-reliance, health and nutrition.

So far, the government has received 1.3 crore online applications and five lakh offline applications.

The government aims to make two crore to 2.5 crore women eligible for the scheme.

Applications will be accepted until August 31, 2024.

At his home turf of Baramati, on 14 July, Ajit Pawar, accompanied by his wife and Rajya Sabha member Sunetra Pawar and his core team comprising Working President Praful Patel, state President Sunil Tatkare, minister Chhagan Bhujbal, launched the campaign.

The campaign was launched by Ajit Pawar at his home turf Baramati on July 14. He was accompanied by his wife and Rajya Sabha member Sunetra Pawar and his core team comprising Working President Praful Patel, state President Sunil Tatkare, minister Chhagan Bhujbal

Pawar is now set to undertake Jan Samman Yatra, a massive connect and outreach tour.

“Ajit Dada introduced his tenth budget which focuses on empowering social causes, rural areas, and more. This Yatra is aimed to inform people about the benefits of these schemes and to communicate our political ideology to the public ahead of the upcoming elections,” said Tatkare, adding that Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana is one of the most ambitious schemes.

As a strategy, the NCP has also adopted the pink colour and it is being used in backdrops and standees. Pawar too has started wearing pink and maroon jackets in official and political engagements.

The Shiv Sena is set to launch its campaign across the state to highlight the initiatives for women - which it aims to conclude before Raksha Bandhan.

Shiv Sena secretary Dr Manisha Kayande said Shinde has prioritized women's empowerment after the formation of the Maha Yuti government in the state.

“Several schemes related to women were launched like 50 percent discount for women for travel in State Transport buses., Lek Ladki Yojana, free higher education for girls, scholarships for 800 courses, pink rickshaws, capital support for self-help group schemes, ration packets during festivals, ordinance to include mother's name in everyone's name and the Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana,” she said.