CAN BJP BREACH KEJRIWALL?

As the big players battle it out in the assembly polls, the Congress tries hard to stay relevant

- BY PRATUL SHARMA

What's in a name? A great deal, it seems, when it comes to women-centric cash transfer schemes. Names like Ladki Bahin, Ladli Laxmi, Ladli Behna, Pyari Behna, Maiya Samman, Gruha Laxmi, Mahalaxmi, Subhadra, Magalir Urimai, Orunodoi and Laxmir Bhandar are more than mere labels. They represent cash transfer initiatives for women, introduced by ruling parties in 11 states as a form of gratitude after electoral victories.

Parties across the political spectrum have found these schemes potent electoral tools. Over the past two years, cash transfer programmes for women have been announced by newly elected governments in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka and Telangana. The same strategy is now being implemented in Delhi, where the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party has pledged ₹2,100 a month for women post-elections. The AAP is in a bitter battle with the BJP, with the Congress struggling to catch up as Delhi goes to the polls on February 5.

On the day Jharkhand launched its ₹2,500 cash transfer scheme for women—for powering the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha to a historic victory in November—the Congress announced the Pyari Didi scheme in Delhi, with a cash component of ₹2,500, if voted to power. The Congress, which has not won a single seat in the last two assembly polls, hopes the scheme will revive its political fortunes. Meanwhile, pressure mounts on the BJP to announce a similar initiative.

The appeal of these schemes lies in their ability to engage women voters, who form a significant electoral bloc. In Delhi, there are 71.73 lakh registered women voters compared with 83.49 lakh men. Among the 1.67 lakh new voters added to Delhi's revised rolls since October, women (96,426) outnumbered men (70,873). This sharp increase is seen as a direct result of the AAP's promise to increase the cash transfer for women.