The ruling Shiv Sena-BJP Mahayuti alliance in poll-bound Maharashtra is banking heavily on a newly launched cash dole for women and micro-management by RSS cadres, insiders have said.

The dependence on the Ladki Bahin scheme launched hurriedly after the Mahayuti’s poor performance in the general election was evident as the state government released two instalments for October and November in one go just before the Model Code of Conduct kicked in with the announcement of the poll dates on Tuesday.

Under the Ladki Bahin scheme, women aged between 21 and 65 years and with an annual family income not exceeding ₹2.5 lakh are entitled to ₹1,500 per month. A consolidated amount of ₹3,000 for the two months — being projected as a “Diwali bonus” — has been transferred to the bank accounts of nearly 1.5 crore poor women.

The Mahayuti managed to win just 17 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The performance of the BJP, the largest partner in the alliance, was particularly dismal as it picked up only nine seats.

The gloom after the blow in the Lok Sabha polls led the Mahayuti to take a leaf out of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s book and fashion a scheme on the lines of the Ladli Behna project that the current agriculture minister in the Narendra Modi government had launched in his state. Ladli Behna, which offers a cash dole of ₹1,500 per month, was launched ahead of the Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh last year and is believed to have powered the return of the BJP for a record fifth term.

“Our experience shows that mahila (women) voters can be a game changer in closely fought elections. We are hopeful that the Ladki Bahin scheme will help us turn the tide in our favour,” a BJP leader said. “The transfer of two instalments (₹3,000) just ahead of the polls would ensure that it remains at the top of the mind of the women when the votes are cast on November 20,” the leader added.

Conspiracy theories in the power corridors have claimed that the Election Commission’s decision to delay the Maharashtra polls and not hold it along with the elections in Haryana has helped the ruling alliance woo women voters with the scheme.

The last three Assembly polls in Maharashtra were held in tandem with Haryana in October. This time, the poll panel cited paucity of security forces owing to heavy deployment during the Jammu and Kashmir elections to justify the delay.

The term of the Maharashtra Assembly expires on November 26.

The delayed polls helped the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government to transfer three instalments to the bank accounts of the poor women and now the fourth and fifth instalments have been credited in one go. Chief minister Shinde has also held out the lure of doubling the amount to ₹3,000 if the women extend their support.

Sangh backing

Besides the dole, the Mahayuti’s hopes are also hinged on active support by the RSS cadres in the state.

“Several rounds of coordination meetings have taken place between the RSS and BJP leaderships. RSS leaders and cadres are already active on the ground and you will see the results when the votes are cast,” an RSS leader in Pune said, confident that like Haryana, the Maharashtra results would surprise everyone.