Mumbai, November 18: The curtain has fallen on the intense campaigning for Maharashtra’s 288-member Legislative Assembly elections. The battle lines are drawn between the ruling MahaYuti alliance (BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP) and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress-Shiv Sena UBT-NCP-SP). Voting is scheduled for November 20, with 9.70 crore eligible voters and 4,136 candidates in contention.
MahaYuti’s Pitch: Development and Continuity
The BJP-led MahaYuti is banking on its record of infrastructure development, including projects like Samruddhi Marg, Mumbai Metro, and Atal Setu. Highlighting its achievements in attracting investments and implementing welfare schemes like the ₹1 lakh crore Ladki Bahin Yojana, the alliance promises a $1 trillion economy and comprehensive social and economic reforms through its 10 guarantees.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and key BJP leaders emphasized MahaYuti’s pro-growth agenda, contrasting it with the MVA’s tenure, which they accused of hindering development and mishandling the pandemic. However, controversies arose with slogans like “Vote Jihad,” which drew criticism from NCP leaders for being divisive.
MVA’s Counterattack: Farmer Welfare and Social Justice
The Maha Vikas Aghadi focused on social justice and economic concerns, promising benefits like the Mahalakshmi Scheme (₹3,000 monthly aid for women), unemployment aid, and crop loan waivers. They targeted MahaYuti over alleged corruption, debt burdens, and failure to address quota demands for Marathas, OBCs, and Dhangars.
Leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, and Uddhav Thackeray accused the BJP of polarizing voters and neglecting farmers’ issues, especially low soybean prices. Their Panchsutri manifesto includes a caste census, a removal of the 50% reservation cap, and free public transport for women.
Key Dynamics and Challenges
Rebels within both alliances pose potential threats to official candidates. Additionally, smaller parties like the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi could sway outcomes in closely contested seats.
With both sides making strong pitches, the elections are shaping up to be a prestige battle, reflecting Maharashtra’s complex political landscape. The results will reveal whether voters favor MahaYuti’s continuity or the MVA’s promise of inclusive growth.
