Women voters outnumber men in key Pune civic bodies as Mahayuti partners seek credit for Ladki Bahin scheme amid local polls

In the temple town of Jejuri, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP is facing a challenge from the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena as all the alliance partners are contesting the civic polls independently. The Jejuri Nagar Parishad has been a stronghold of the Pawar family but this is the first time that an election is being held here since the split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

The Ajit Pawar-led NCP is contesting the seat of president and all 20 corporators, while the Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP) is supporting them. The party is, however, facing a challenge from the BJP and Shiv Sena, which have fielded their respective candidates for the aforementioned posts. While 5,895 male voters exercised their franchise in Jejuri, the voter turnout among women was higher at 6,436.

‘Credit for Ladki Bahin scheme goes to Ajit Pawar’
“It is the leadership of the Pawar family that has always been the choice of voters in Jejuri. The women voters would have voted for the NCP as it is Ajit Pawar that has made them benefit from the Ladki Bahin Yojana of the state government,” said NCP candidate Jaydeep Barbhai. The state government’s flagship scheme extends a monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 to women aged 21 to 65 with an annual family income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh.

The tourist destination of Lonavala too saw more women voting for the Nagar Parishad election than male voters. The BJP and NCP are fighting head on in Lonavala to prove their political supremacy. The NCP has joined hands with the NCP(SP) to take on the BJP. “It was decided at the local level to join hands with the NCP(SP) in return for posts for their workers in various committees to be appointed in Lonavala after the party comes to power,” an NCP leader said. In Lonavala, the male voters numbered 17,162, while 17,349 women cast their votes.

The Indapur Nagar Parishad too is witnessing a tough contest with Ajit Pawar-led NCP facing a challenge from an alliance of BJP, NCP(SP) and other political parties. The NCP front during the election campaign was led by state Agriculture Minister and Indapur legislator Dattatraya Bharane, while that of the rival group was under former state minister and NCP(SP) leader Harshvardhan Patil. In Indapur, 10,083 women voted while male voters were 9,750.

In Bhor Nagar Parishad, the BJP is trying to make inroads under the leadership of Sangram Thopte, a former Congress legislator who recently joined the BJP, to take on the NCP in a straight fight. A total of 6,437 women voted in the elections here as against 6,428 men.

“Chief Minister Devendra Fadanavis has always fulfilled the promises made to citizens. He is the one who is executing the Ladki Bahin Scheme for women in the state,” said Thopte.

Assurance by Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde’s claim

During the campaign for the civic polls, Fadnavis assured voters that as long as he is the chief minister, he will ensure that women will continue to receive the Rs 1,500 promised to them every month under the Ladki Bahin Yojana. “The Opposition was criticising the Mahayuti saying it would close down the Ladki Bahin Yojana, but it has been over a year and the scheme still goes on. It will continue as long as I am in charge of the state,” Fadanavis had said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde has been claiming that he was the one who launched the scheme for women during his tenure as chief minister. “I will ensure that the scheme will continue as it was in the interest of women in need,” Shinde had stated.

The NCP, on the other hand, has been reiterating that the scheme is being implemented by the state government under Ajit Pawar’s leadership. “Our party president is the state Finance Minister and holds the key to the state government’s treasury. It is he who releases funds for the implementation of Ladki Bahin Yojana,” an NCP leader said during the election campaign.