Madhya Pradesh election results: How BJP's 'Ladli Behna' scheme trumped Congress's proposed guarantees

NEW DELHI: The BJP is all set to sweep Madhya Pradesh with the saffron party set to win over 150 seats in the 230-member assembly and the Congress way behind with leads in around 70 seats. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's poll campaign and the welfare schemes of the "double engine" government for the BJP's impressive show in the state.

Crediting PM Modi for the win, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said: "Modi ji MP ke mann mein hain aur Modi ji ke mann mein MP hai. He held public rallies here and appealed to the people and that touched people's hearts. These trends are a result of that. Double-engine government properly implemented the schemes of the Central Government and the schemes that were formed here also touched people's hearts."

The Congress pushed its campaign in the state around the promised 11 guarantees, which included a host of freebies. However, with the BJP already giving the people the benefit of several social schemes , there were few takers for the Congress guarantees. The one BJP welfare scheme that seems to have helped the BJP in a big way is the 'Ladli Behna Yojana' which was very popular among the women of the state. Under the scheme, Rs 1250 is transferred monthly to eligible women from poor families in the state.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan has repeatedly highlighted the role of 'Ladli Behna Yojana' in party's emphatic win. Earlier today, reacting to early trends, Chouhan said: "I had said BJP will get a comfortable majority and we are getting it, I give the whole credit to Ladli Behnas for this impressive performance."

A day ahead of voting also, Chouhan had said, "Kaante ki takkar mein Laadli behna ne saare kaante nikaal diye."

The scheme was announced by Shivraj Singh Chouhan on the occasion of Narmada Jayanti and officially launched on March 5, 2023.

Under the Madhya Pradesh Ladli Behna Scheme, all women in the state, regardless of their caste or religion, are eligible to avail its benefits. Women with an annual family income below Rs 2.50 lakh and falling within the age group of 21 to 60 years are eligible to avail financial assistance of Rs 1,250 per month.

The chief minister had announced in August that the financial aid given per month to women under the 'Ladli Behna Yojana' will be increased to Rs 3000 with periodic hikes of Rs 250. Shivraj Singh Chouhan had announced this as a "gift" to women on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

Election to the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly was a fight between the BJP and the Congress. The grand old party's 15- month old government, formed in the year 2018, was toppled in 2020 with help from Jyotiraditya Scindia who defected to the BJP from the Congress.

The BJP has been in power in MP since 2003, except for the period between December 2018 and March 2020 when Nath was CM of a Congress-led coalition.

Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, Location Guesser and Mini Crossword.