What's happened
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has secured a decisive victory in Maharashtra, winning 235 out of 288 assembly seats. This outcome marks a significant rebound for Prime Minister Modi's party following earlier electoral setbacks, particularly in the context of rising female voter engagement and targeted cash handouts to women.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to the South China Morning Post, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance's victory in Maharashtra is attributed to a unified campaign effort from the RSS, which had previously withheld support. Political commentator Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay noted that the election results reflect the effectiveness of the BJP's outreach to female voters through targeted policies. Bloomberg highlighted the financial commitment to cash handouts as a strategic move to regain voter trust after a poor showing in earlier elections. Meanwhile, The Independent reported that the BJP's success in Maharashtra is significant given the state's economic and political weight, contrasting with the opposition's performance in Jharkhand, where they maintained control despite the BJP's efforts to polarize voters along religious lines. AP News emphasized the BJP's messaging aimed at majority Hindu voters, which has drawn criticism for its divisive nature. Overall, these sources illustrate a complex electoral landscape where targeted policies and voter engagement strategies have reshaped the political dynamics in Maharashtra.
How we got here
The BJP's recent electoral success in Maharashtra follows a disappointing performance in the April-May federal elections, where it won only 17 of the state's 48 parliamentary seats. The party's strategy has shifted to focus on cash transfers to women, aiming to regain lost ground.
More on these topics
-
Maharashtra is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. As the home of the Marathi people, Maharashtra is the second-most populous state and third-largest state by area in India.
-
Narendra Damodardas Modi is an Indian politician serving as the 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. He was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014, and is the Member of Parliament for Varanasi.
-
The Bharatiya Janata Party is one of the two major political parties in India, along with the Indian National Congress. As of 2018, it is the country's largest political party in terms of representation in the national parliament and state assemblies, and
-
The Indian National Congress is a broadly based political party in India. Along with Bharatiya Janata Party, it is one of two largest political parties in India.
-
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. The state shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Chhattisgarh to the west, Odisha to the south and West Bengal to the east. It has an area of 79,710 km².
-
Mumbai is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. According to United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the most populous city in the country and the seventh-most populous city in the world with a population of roughly 20 million.