Analysis of Maharashtra Assembly Election Campaign 2024

-Harshada Gadekar

 India is the largest democracy in the world and the State of Maharashtra is no less than a Movie when it comes to politics and government as it is packed with thriller, action, drama, emotions and whatnot.

After the split in Shivsena and National Congress Party (NCP), The newly framed parties and their coalitions that is MahaVikas Aaghadi (Coalition of Congress- Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thakare)- NCP(Sharadchandra Pawar) and

MahaYuti (Coalition of BJP- Shiv Sena (Ekanath Shinde)- NCP(Ajit Pawar) stood for the first time in the battleground of the Vidhan Sabha election of Maharashtra 2024 with a new Identity, agenda and Campaign Strategy.

Political parties and candidates use election campaigns as a tool to prepare and communicate their beliefs and ideas to voters in the time leading up to election day. To get their messages in front of voters, candidates employ a range of strategies, such as written materials, public gatherings, traditional and new media, and more.

Comparative Analysis of MahaYuti and MahaVikas Aghadi’s Election Campaign Strategy:

1. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)

a) Excessive impetus to ''Ladaki Bahin Yojana":

Freebies politics is not new to Maharashtra India be it any party. The estimated population of Maharashtra in 2024 is 126.9 million and the women population is around 61.26 million. Mahayuti targeted 50% of the population that is women with lower income.

 

Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana's budget of Rs 35,000 crore was authorised, and eligibility requirements were loosened to guarantee that a sizable portion of the population would benefit from it. Around Diwali, the freebies were rolled out in a calculated manner. They were offered as "Bhaubeej" (Bhai Duj) gifts by male Mahayuti leaders to female voters, whose numbers have only been growing. It appears to have benefited from this.

This not only benefited the women but ultimately the whole family. Women who had secondary social status in the family were given importance in the family because of the money given to them by the government.

This freebie strategy without the promise of actual welfare-centred measures was replicated by MVA, but slightly later in the season. MVA’s narrative did not catch on because it lacked what the Mahayuti had strong political might and control over financial resources.

b) Increase in Wages/salaries of Government employees:

Approximately 12,700 Kotwal in Maharashtra, Gram Sevaks, and Home Guards directly get a hike in their income, affecting 14 lakh government employees.

Use of Political Power and Deep Research on problems faced by every region and pressing those factors and promises in relative constituencies:

A) Mumbai and Konkan Region:

1. "Marathi Asmita", Issues related to Marathi languages are a hot topic specifically in the Mumbai and Konkan region of Maharashtra.

Though it is deserved by the Marathi language to get classical recognition, at this very juncture of Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections by using union power BJP Coalition has given "Marathi" Classical Language. 

2. Toll wave-off for Non-Heavy Vehicles and Chawl Redevelopment Plans are other schemes during elections and their campaigning made it possible for Mahayuti to gain maximum support.

3. Also by establishing the Mahamandal of every community and caste identity of a specific region, Mahayuti also got to know the plight of the Mumbai Colaba Koli community and immediately started the work of Cold Storages and promised to build more and protect their economic independence over the sea.

B) Similarly in North Maharashtra, the main issue faced by farmers was an Onion issue.

Mahayuti fulfilled the demands of onion farmers which is 1. Stop the import of onions from Bangladesh and 2. Reduced Export Duty by 20% 

C) Marathwada

"Maratha Aarakshan" was a major reason for the failure of MahaYuti during the Lok Sabha elections from Marathwada.

However, the MVA was unable to measure this quiet undercurrent. The Other Backward Classes (OBCs) were being consolidated in secret by the BJP. It made use of OBC activist Laxman Hake's grassroots efforts, especially in northern and western Maharashtra. This tactic assisted in diverting focus away from the Maratha agitation led by Manoj Jarange Patil.

On both instances, the MVA was unable to refute Mahayuti. It undervalued Hake's movement and the "vote-jihad"/Hindutva narrative. Furthermore, MVA remained indifferent to the prospect of OBC consolidation against it following its success in the Lok Sabha.

D) Western Maharashtra

Using union power Loan Restructuring and waving off of sugarcane factories became easy., Micro Meetings of small Factory owners and promises proved to be helpful.

E) Vidarbha

The narrative of Ladki Bahin Yojna does not impact the Vidarbha region. The issue of inflation unemployment minimum support price to soybean and cotton issue was alarming.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan were famous in Vidarbha. So, They arranged a speech focusing on promises such as More Orange food processing units, 3000 minimum support price (MSP) for Soybean, generally cotton with more than 12% moisture content gets rejected by factories but promises were given to farmers that moisture content up to 15% will be accepted.

 

Popular Narrative: "Batenge to Katenge"

At the national level, the BJP has been actively promoting the Hindutva card as a unifying theme for Hindus. The Hindu vote bank in the state was specifically targeted by the BJP and Shinde's Shiv Sena. Regardless of caste and geographic distinctions, they called on Hindu voters to unite. The phrases "batenge to katenge" and "ek hai to safe hai" are frequently used on social media.

Hindu religious organisations and groups, such as priests, kirtankars, and temple trusts, also backed the partnership. Hindu votes were swayed in its favour by the widespread use of Hindutva symbols in its local campaigns.

The narrative of "Samvidhan Bachao" was taken back in the VidhanSabha elections and didn't prove powerful as compared to Lok Sabha elections, because of the lack of execution and clarity of the agenda between the constituent parties of the coalition of Mahavikas Aaghadi.

 

Overall Agenda setting through various means:

Both parties successfully used mediums such as newspaper advertisements, television advertisements, Banners, and hoardings equally efficiently. But the Political Campaign on Social Media like Instagram, Facebook, and  Meta Ads was a stronger point of the BJP coalition than the opposition. Also, text messages and phone calls were targeted by the BJP coalition.  Repetition of the narrative and agenda of the BJP coalition was a memorable point for the voters to remember to vote on what basis.

 

Impact and Overall Result:

The multiplier impact of many factors and strategies allowed Mahayuti to achieve better than anticipated results.

With a vote share of more than 50%, the Mahayuti, a coalition comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party, was able to secure 235 of the state's 288 seats. Additionally, the alliance achieved the most seat share of any alliance or party in the past 50 years, at 81.6%. With this, the BJP became the first party to surpass 100 seats in Maharashtra in 30 years, a milestone previously accomplished by the Congress in 1990, and it repeated its electoral victory in 2014 for the third time.

 

The poor performance of MahaYuti and the win of MahaVikas Aghadi during the Lok Sabha elections were seen as an indication of change from the electorate.

But strong political might and an appealing,  carefully structured narrative and campaign strategy designed by BJP-led Mahayuti resulted in cutting across caste, class, and regional boundaries.

 

Harshada is an MA (Political Science) student at Mumbai University. 

 

References:

1.https://indianexpress.com/article/india/maharashtra-election-results-2024-live-updates-rule-maharashtra-shinde-fadnavis-uddhav-9684286/

2.https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/how-mva-lost-the-plot-in-the-maharashtra-assembly-polls-101733150802592.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawHBcK9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcD0ipgpCxuoeHl4g18LbOKMQRfEYwhK5Jbg24JLrLE_NCVV716FK-IOOg_aem_w2PqZ3z4oPFnBj4B-GXjIQ

3.https://theprint.in/opinion/big-strategies-gave-big-results-to-mahayuti-in-maharashtra-and-the-story-is-far-from-over/2374591/?fbclid=IwY2xjawHBmxdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHe-OY6YgA9gpJwtytgAc5U4sE5JVVbZB1bruREzxT8C-wNmasRPqrgiPCQ_aem_k7yDK0HrFxecUPxjbcQnew

4. https://www.thehindu.com/elections/maharashtra-assembly/maharashtra-election-results-2024-how-rss-stealth-campaign-shaped-mahayutis-victory/article68901868.ece

 

New Government, Old Challenges, Fresh Hopes

-Vedashree Mohite

Maharashtra is home to bustling cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur, where dreams take shape every day. But beneath the glamour of Mumbai’s high-rises and Pune’s tech parks lies a different story overcrowded roads, garbage piles, and water shortages.

With the 2024 Vidhan Sabha elections bringing a new state government, people are eager to see if promises made during the campaign will finally address these urban problems. Will this government take action and deliver on its word? Let’s take a closer look.

Image Source: NDTV

The Promises That Sparked Hope

The 2024 Maharashtra elections brought big promises from political parties, aiming to address urban challenges.

The BJP pledged to transform Mumbai into a “world-class city” with affordable housing, better transport, and cleaner streets, while the MVA emphasized inclusive growth through slum rehabilitation, eco-friendly projects, and support for underprivileged families.

However, citizens remain sceptical, as similar assurances in the past often fell short. For instance, Bengaluru tackled traffic issues through metro expansion, and Indore set an example in waste management with strict policies and community involvement.

Maharashtra’s cities could learn from such successes, but turning promises into action will require strong political will, proper planning, and active public participation.

 

The Everyday Struggles of Urban Life

Living in a city like Mumbai or Pune has its own set of challenges. Despite being hubs of opportunity, these cities face problems that often leave residents frustrated.

Take Mumbai, for example. The city generates over 7,000 metric tons of garbage every day. Landfills like Deonar and Mulund are overflowing, causing health and environmental issues for nearby residents. Fires and toxic fumes from these dumps have become common.

In Pune, traffic congestion is a nightmare. Although it’s known as an IT and education hub, the city’s roads are crowded, and public transport is not sufficient. The metro project, which could ease traffic, has been slow to finish, leaving people to battle long commutes.

Nagpur, known for its industrial growth, struggles with water scarcity. During summer, many families depend on water tankers, as the regular supply often dries up. For a city aiming to attract businesses, such basic issues highlight a lack of planning.

These examples show how urban governance has failed to keep up with growing populations and rising expectations.

 

Tough Challenges Ahead

The new government faces an uphill task in tackling Maharashtra’s urban problems.

One of the biggest issues is the lack of funds. Urban local bodies like the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have large budgets, but often, these funds are underutilized due to inefficiency and red tape. Without fixing these problems, even the best-laid plans will remain on paper.

Population growth is another challenge. Cities like Mumbai and Pune see a constant flow of migrants from rural areas in search of better opportunities. But this has led to the expansion of slums, with Dharavi being the most well-known example. Projects to redevelop slums often face delays, leaving millions to live in poor conditions.

Climate change is making things even more urgent. Rising sea levels threaten Mumbai’s coastline, while cities like Nashik deal with unpredictable rainfall and depleting green cover. Heat waves are also becoming more common, making cities less livable.

 

Stories of Success That Inspire Hope

Amid the challenges, some projects show that progress is possible with the right efforts.

The Mumbai Metro is one such example. Though delayed, it has started to make commuting easier for residents, showing that persistence pays off.

In Pune, the ban on single-use plastics is a small but important step towards reducing waste. It may not solve all problems, but it’s a sign that change can begin at the local level.

Nashik’s water ATMs are another success story. These machines provide clean drinking water at affordable rates, helping people avoid relying on expensive private suppliers. It’s a simple yet impactful solution to a big problem.

These examples show that focused action and innovative thinking can bring real results.

 

What Needs to Be Done

To truly improve cities, the government needs a clear plan and strong execution.

One solution is empowering local municipal bodies. By giving them more independence and resources, projects can move faster. Decentralized governance ensures that local issues are addressed without long delays caused by state-level bureaucracy.

Involving citizens in decision-making is equally important. For example, participatory budgeting allows people to decide how local funds should be spent. Whether it’s improving parks or fixing roads, this approach makes governance more effective and builds trust between residents and authorities.

Technology can also play a big role in solving urban problems. Cities can use apps to track waste collection, AI for better traffic management and data analytics to monitor water supply. These tools make governance smarter and more transparent.

Sustainability should be a top priority. Green initiatives like planting trees, promoting rainwater harvesting, and encouraging solar energy adoption can help cities cope with climate change. For example, creating “green roofs” on buildings can reduce heat and improve air quality.

 

What Lies Ahead

Maharashtra’s cities are at a crossroads. The new government has a golden opportunity to make a real difference. Cleaner streets, faster commutes, and sustainable living are not just wishes—they are basic needs for people living in urban areas.

However, promises alone won’t be enough. What matters is whether these plans are turned into action. The government will need to work closely with local bodies, involve citizens, and embrace innovation to deliver on its commitments.

At the end of the day, cities are not just about skyscrapers and flyovers. They are about the people who live, work, and dream there. A better urban future will mean a better life for millions of families across Maharashtra.

Citizens are watching and waiting with cautious optimism. The road ahead may be tough, but with determination and smart planning, Maharashtra’s cities can rise to become examples of progress and hope.

References

• “Challenges in Urban Governance,” The Indian Express.
• “Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha Elections 2024: Promises and Prospects,” Times of India.
• “Waste Management Woes in Urban India,” Hindustan Times.
• “Climate Risks for Coastal Cities,” Down to Earth.
• “Smart Cities Mission: A Slow March to Progress,” Economic Times.

Vedashree is an MA (Politics) student at Mumbai University.