Women cannot be politicised with handouts

That poor women get handouts cannot be railed against, but the trend of reaching out to women with allurements, as a targeted demographic to be wooed at election time, has to be called out

Irrespective of the political composition of the next government of Maharashtra, whether the Mahayuti alliance or the Maha Vikas Aghadi or another formation of convenience, what is clear is that more women stepped out to vote this time around—more than in the 2019 Assembly election and in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year. Data shows nearly six percent rise in the women turnout compared to five years ago, from 59.3% to 65.2% with an increase of 52,58,671 voters. Mumbai, Thane, Palghar registered a 7-11% increase.