Ahead of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, both the Congress and BJP are focusing their efforts on wooing women voters in the state. This is seen as an attempt to address key issues while trying to regain power in the state. Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, who is leading the Congress campaign earlier announced five major promises to the people of Madhya Pradesh.
These promises included: Rs 1,500 per month for women, providing gas cylinders at Rs 500, 100 units of electricity free per household, waiving off electricity bills up to 200 units, and waiving farmer loans waivers. Other guarantees included Free electricity for five irrigation pumps with permanent or temporary connections, 12 hours of electricity for irrigation, pensions for senior citizens, and 27% reservation for OBCs.
The BJP realised the significance of such promises and CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan began to counter these promises. The government has so far announced an increase in the Ladli Laxmi Yojana from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,250, and eventually to Rs 3,000. Other promises include a pledge to reduce electricity bills for poor women, waiving off outstanding power bills until September, electricity connections to 20 houses in areas without power in Majnu Tola, payment of Ladli sisters’ fees, allocation of plots to women in industries, etc.
Why the focus on women? Madhya Pradesh has nearly 5 crore voters, of which approximately 2.62 crore are women. In other words, nearly 48% of the total voters are women.