Maharashtra elections: Ladki Bahin's popularity softens MVA stand on Mahayuti freebies

Opposition has waned within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra following the ruling Mahayuti government's freebie schemes, after the alliance got feedback that the ruling combine may be doing well in a few regions due to the Ladki Bahin scheme.

While there were internal debates within the Congress and leaders of the other constituents of the MVA that they should not over promise, they have got reports that the ruling parties may have gained an advantage in the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions due to the popularity of the scheme that guarantees Rs 1,500 per month to women in the state.

While Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge recently remarked that only those freebies that are financially implementable should be announced, the Congress-led MVA is all set to promise a host of welfare schemes ahead of this month's state assembly elections, possibly even exceeding the promises made by the Mahayuti alliance.


The MVA manifesto is likely to be released on November 6.

"While there was a debate earlier that we should offer a similar promise or not, it is now settled that we would offer a similar scheme. The question that is to be decided is whether to go one up by offering ₹1,500 or ₹2,000. This will be decided in a day or two," said an MVA leader.

The Congress will likely follow its winning formula in Karnataka and Telangana, and may promise a farm loan waiver, and a health insurance up to Rs 25 lakh, among others.

Karnataka offers free bus rides to women and there were talks of the state government withdrawing the scheme, which earned Kharge's ire. Maharashtra already has a scheme where women pay half the fare while travelling in a state road transport bus.

Besides Kharge, there have been others in the MVA who had raised doubts over the Ladki Bahin scheme. While not opposing the scheme per se, NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar, in an interview to ET, had raised doubts about the scheme, claiming that it may work only till the elections as the Mahayuti had diverted funds from other allocations to run it.