What factor will swing Maharashtra verdict - crop, caste or cash? Poll drama turns more and more intense

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

This election could determine the fate of political parties like Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Times of India newspaper wrote on October 16. The Congress, which ranked fourth in the last assembly election, hopes to build on its parliamentary resurgence. For the BJP, a win is vital after a disappointing performance in the Lok Sabha (LS) elections, where it secured only nine seats in Maharashtra, the report (by Priyanka Kakodkar) said.

The ruling Mahayuti alliance has introduced several welfare schemes to win voters, including a Rs 1,500 monthly stipend for underprivileged women under the Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana. This initiative, costing Rs 46,000 crore annually, aims to mimic the success of similar schemes in other states.

However, the effectiveness of such schemes varies. For example, despite offering numerous welfare programs, the BRS lost in Telangana's polls last year.
Voters will also consider pressing issues like farmers' distress over agricultural pricing, unemployment and price hikes. The Mahayuti alliance suffered in regions like Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Nashik during the LS polls due to the crash in soybean prices and the onion export ban. The central government has since lifted the export ban and ensured soybean procurement at minimum support prices.

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