Tag: Election Exchange

BJP’s Hindi heartland dominance faces test in phase 3 polls

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

10 states and 2 union territories with 94 constituencies will be voting in the third phase. Uttar Pradesh (UP) will witness polling in 10 Lok Sabha constituencies. Mainpuri constituency in UP will be key where Dimple Yadav of the Samajwadi Party is pitted against Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Jaiveer Singh. BJP had won 8 of these 10 seats in 2019.

In Bihar, 5 seats will be voting in the third phase. From the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Janata Dal (United) (JDU) is contesting on 3 seats. Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and BJP are fighting for one seat each. From the opposition’s block, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is contesting from 3 seats, The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) and Vikassheel Insaan Party are fighting from one seat each.

Moving to Chhattisgarh where it will be the last phase of polling for the state. Voting for 11 total seats was split over 3 phases. In the third phase, polling will take place in 7 constituencies. The state had voted for a BJP government in the assembly elections. The BJP had also won 10 out of the 11 seats in Chhattisgarh in the 2019 polls.

Also Read | 2024 Lok Sabha Elections | What does a low voter turnout indicate for NDA and I.N.D.I.A Bloc

Abhishek Shukla, Editor, of News18 Chhattisgarh, Brajmohan Singh, Editor, of News18 Bihar and Manmohan Rai, Editor, of News18 UP discussed this in detail.

“The third phase is the phase, which has the maximum number of big faces. The so-called VIP politicians are the famous faces of UP politics. This is also the belt which is the Yadav family’s stronghold and Dimple Yadav, the wife of Akhilesh Yadav, is contesting from Mainpuri. That seat has become the hot seat because she is pitted against BJP’s Jaiveer Singh,” Rai said.

“Voting turnout has been very low in the first round, around 50% and 54% in the second round. Third round – political parties are hoping that it will be slightly high. In Bihar, out of five seats, JDU is going to contest on three seats, LJP is going to contest on one seat and BJP on one seat. Caste is going to play a very important role,” said Brijmohan Singh.

Also Read | Lok Sabha Election: Re-elections at a Ajmer booth after presiding officer misplaces register of voters

Madhumita Murgia, AI Editor, Financial Times, Author, Code-Dependent explored what impact deepfakes and artificial intelligence (AI) could have in general elections 2024 and how it has affected public perceptions ahead of the ongoing elections and what important steps can be taken to combat it.

“There is always going to be external forces that shape what people believe. That is how propaganda works, how campaigning works and as people we listen to what other people say and then we make our decision based on all of these outside influences,” she said.

For more, watch the accompanying video

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Baramati election outcome will decide the future of Pawar dynasty, says expert

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

With just about a week remaining for the third phase of the Lok Sabha election, a high-stakes political battle is in the offing in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

In Maharashtra, where 13 seats have already witnessed voting in the initial phases, the upcoming third phase will see 11 seats up for grabs. Among these, the spotlight is particularly intense on several high-profile constituencies including Baramati, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, and Kolhapur.

The contest in Baramati, a stronghold of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has become the epicenter of attention, as Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar is taking on Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule.

Senior journalist Sudhir Suryavanshi emphasised that the battle symbolises a deeper power struggle between Sharad Pawar and his nephew, Ajit Pawar. He noted that the outcome will have significant implications for the future course of Maharashtra’s political landscape.

“In Maharashtra, Baramati is the most watched battle in this Lok Sabha election. The battle is not between Supriya Sule versus Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar; the real battle is between uncle and nephew, that is between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar. Whoever wins or whoever loses, it will have larger repercussions in state politics. If Ajit Pawar’s wife wins the seat then it is the end of Supriya Sule for carrying forward Sharad Pawar’s legacy, and then Ajit Pawar will be the main person who will carry forward the Sharad Pawar legacy. However, if Ajit Pawar loses then he will be completely cut to size in the state politics. In 2019, Ajit Pawar’s son has already lost an election, and now his wife is contesting, so stakes are very high for Ajit Pawar,” Suryavanshi stated.

He added that while the BJP-led NDA looks strong on paper, there is some kind of anti-establishment feeling among the people of Maharashtra because of the way the two parties (NCP and Shiv Sena) were broken. He highlighted that the NDA is looking like a divided house with both partners wanting a big pie in the entire share.

Meanwhile, in Gujarat, all constituencies except Surat are set for polling in the third phase. Voting will not take place in Surat as BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal was declared elected unopposed last week after Congress’ Nilesh Kumbhani’s nomination was rejected while other candidates withdrew from the contest.

Senior journalist Ninad Sheth highlighted the formidable grip of the BJP in Gujarat’s political arena, attributing it to both Narendra Modi’s influence and the state’s vibrant economy.

“On the central level, there is no political space in Gujarat, the political space does not exist. This is first and foremost a place where Narendra Modi’s personal connection works, secondly, Gujarat has a relatively dynamic economy. It is not easy to have two consecutive clean sweeps in a general election, that just tells you that there is no political space for any other party. I see a lot of noise from the opposition, but I do not see any substance coming out of this election. This is a one-way street, this is a one-way ticket to power for the BJP,” Sheth stated.

Notable figures such as Amit Shah and Mansukh Mandaviya are among the key contenders in Gujarat, where the BJP has historically clinched all 26 seats in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections, leaving the Congress without representation.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Lok Sabha Election Phase 2: Experts decode the key trends and issues in key battleground states

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

In the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, 88 seats spread across 12 states and one union territory were up for grabs. However, the muted turnout of around 60% across seats could be something pollsters would be decoding over the next few days.

Karnataka witnessed the contest for 14 Lok Sabha seats, including crucial Bengaluru constituencies. In the previous elections, the BJP had secured victories in 11 of these seats, with the Congress and Janata Dal Secular (JDS) alliance winning one seat each. However, this time around, the dynamics have shifted with the Janata Dal Secular aligning with the BJP.

Senior Journalist, BS Arun, in an interview to CNBC-TV18 highlighted the intense battle between the BJP and the Congress in Karnataka, stating, “In Karnataka BJP and JDS have teamed up and they are fighting a fierce battle with the Congress. While the Congress has been highlighting the guarantees given by Siddaramaiah government and couple of other welfare measures dished out by them, the BJP has been highlighting the achievements of the Narendra Modi government over the last many years. So these two are the main campaign planks.”

Arun added that while the Congress may not have succeeded in taking on BJP in other states, but in Karnataka it seems to have succeeded in holding the BJP to some of the alleged wrongs that it had done.

Senior Journalist Vijay Grover stated that the BJP wants Karnataka to continue the mandate it had given in 2019. He highlighted that the biggest challenge for BJP was anti-incumbency, which the party seems to have mitigated by reshuffling candidates.

“No doubt this election is about Prime Minister Narendra Modi versus the rest of I.N.D.I.A. But in constituencies like Mysore, where they’ve been able to stem anti-incumbency against Pratap Simha by replacing him with a new candidate. That is something which certainly has helped. Similarly, in the second phase, there are some constituencies where we’ve seen a reshuffle of candidates who were there in 2019 and are not there now. So very clearly this is actually a reiteration, I would say, as far as the BJP is concerned that it wants the mandate to continue forward, what the Karnataka people had given to it in 2019. On the other hand, the Congress is banking on the five guarantees that it had launched last year, which it feels that will be able to give it some breathing space in terms of being able to counter the BJP in this particular election,” Grover stated.

In the Hindi heartland, encompassing Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh, 35 seats were contested. The BJP-led NDA had secured victory in 34 of these 36 seats in the previous Lok Sabha elections. The Congress had won only one seat in Bihar and BSP had won in Amroha.

However, senior journalist Sharat Pradhan highlighted the BJP’s struggles in maintaining its stronghold in the Hindi heartland. He stated, “The changes that BJP has made in Uttar Pradesh candidates is not because of anti-incumbency, it is because of extraneous reasons, and that is what is giving BJP a tough time on more than one seat this time. I can see BJP going in for a tough call even in Ghaziabad, where they removed General VK Singh, the former Indian Army Chief, who was also the minister at the Centre for no rhyme or reason, and that provoked a lot of rajputs in the region to rise up in arms against the BJP. In Meerut BJP is showing how pathetic its condition is because they couldn’t get a candidate. They realised that Meerut is an important constituency in that region, so they had to hand pick somebody like Arun Govil, who is a lost and forgotten actor, who did a lead role as Ram in Ramayan way back in 1987-88. Because the Ram Mandir is not working, and there BJP had to take recourse to getting somebody who’s played the role of Ram. That reflects how the condition of the BJP is in these places.”

In Southern India, while the Congress and the Left are aligned in the I.N.D.I.A bloc, they are contesting against each other in Kerala. The BJP, despite never securing a Lok Sabha seat in the state is optimistic about its electoral prospects.

Key battlegrounds in Kerala included Wayanad, where Rahul Gandhi contested against CPI’s Annie Raja and BJP’s K Surendran, and Thiruvananthapuram, witnessed a three-way battle among Shashi Tharoor, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, and Panniyan Raveendran.

Senior Journalist MG Radhakrishnan noted that Kerala has never attracted so much attention in Lok Sabha election as it has this year. He highlighted that for BJP, Kerala has always remained completely inaccessible and that is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Kerala at least six times in the last four months. He further highlighted that for Congress Kerala is a state where it got maximum number of seats in 2019 election. And so to maximise their seats Kerala is of extreme importance to Congress.

Meanwhile, 8 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra also went to polls. A total of 204 candidates were in the fray. Three seats saw a direct face-off between the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde and the other faction led by Uddhav Thackeray.

Moreover, in Assam 5 constituencies went to polls today including large parts of the Barak Valley which borders Bangladesh.

Watch accompanying video for entire discussion.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Gurugram gears up for crucial polls amidst economic boom and civic woes

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Gurugram, the bustling industrial powerhouse neighbouring New Delhi, is poised for a significant electoral showdown on the 25th of May, as 24.9 lakh eligible voters prepare to cast their ballots.

Often dubbed the “millennium city,” Gurugram boasts the presence of over 250 Fortune 500 companies, including corporate giants like PepsiCo and Nestle, alongside hosting the headquarters of the International Solar Alliance.

Spanning over 9 assembly segments, Gurugram’s Lok Sabha constituency encapsulates a diverse landscape of urban, rural, and urbanised village settings, reflecting the multifaceted fabric of the region.

Situated approximately 25 kilometers from the national capital, Gurugram stands as a cornerstone of India’s financial and technological prowess, attracting a staggering 70% of total investments into Haryana. Renowned as a prime manufacturing hub for automobiles, electronic components, chemicals, and FMCG goods, the city symbolises economic dynamism on the national stage.

Yet, beneath the veneer of prosperity lies a persistent challenge of inadequate civic infrastructure, starkly evident during the monsoon season. Persistent waterlogging, substandard drainage systems and crippling traffic congestion remain pressing concerns for residents.

While Gurugram has witnessed rapid developmental strides in recent decades, the lack of cohesive infrastructure planning has engendered civic grievances, prompting residents to seek robust policy interventions from elected representatives.

Amidst this backdrop, divergent sentiments prevail among the electorate, with a section expressing commendation for governmental initiatives, particularly those spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, the electoral landscape is also marked by nuanced fault lines, notably in areas with significant Muslim populations.

Nuh, a district within Gurugram boasting one of North India’s highest concentrations of Muslims, grappled with violent unrest last year, stemming from communal tensions exacerbated by tragic incidents. The aftermath of these disturbances looms over the electoral calculus, potentially shaping voter sentiments on polling day.

Moreover, the spectre of the Agniveer scheme looms large over certain constituencies, with pockets of dissent emerging among voters regarding its efficacy and implications. The pledge by the I.N.D.I alliance to retract the short-term Agniveer scheme for the armed forces adds a layer of complexity to the electoral discourse.

In the quest to clinch the coveted Gurugram Lok Sabha seat, political heavyweights are gearing up for a fierce battle. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has once again nominated Rao Inderjit Singh, a five-time incumbent MP, to spearhead its electoral campaign. In a strategic move, the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), an erstwhile ally of the BJP, has fielded popular singer and rapper Rahul Yadav, known as Fazilpuria, in a bid to wrest control of the constituency.

However, the political landscape is fraught with challenges for Singh, who confronts mounting anti-incumbency sentiments compounded by public grievances regarding investment deficits, job scarcity, infrastructural inadequacies, and apprehensions surrounding the Agniveer scheme.

As the electoral fray intensifies, all eyes are on Gurugram, poised at the crossroads of economic prosperity and civic imperatives, promising a riveting showdown that could redefine the region’s political trajectory.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Lok Sabha elections 2024: BJP’s bid for breakthrough in Kerala is an uphill battle, say experts

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

With less than 72 hours remaining before the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, all eyes are on Kerala as the state prepares to cast its votes for all 20 parliamentary seats on April 26.

In Kerala, the primary electoral battle is between the alliances led by the Congress and the Left parties. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking to make significant strides, particularly in Trissur, where it has nominated popular actor Suresh Gopi as its candidate.

According to MG Radhakrishnan, a senior journalist, “Kerala is the only state in the south where the BJP has never won a single seat until now. Though there are contests in about four to five constituencies that the BJP considers to be ‘A grade constituencies’, there is a bitter fight going on between these three major political friends, but I don’t think there is any particular seat where the BJP has a very easy chance at all.”

In the 2019 elections, the Congress secured victory in 15 out of 20 seats, while the Left parties claimed two seats. Despite failing to secure any seats, the BJP garnered a notable vote share of 12%.

Political analyst Rahul Easwar notes, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to tap into the Hindu and Christian vote banks in a major way. That’s the reason why he was connecting with the Christian bishops in a very meaningful and deep manner. But unfortunately, due to the Manipur issues and all, there is some kind of a dampening that has really happened. But Narendra Modi is a hugely popular brand. Even though the BJP will increase seats, it is still doubtful how many seats will come; they may increase votes for sure, but brand Modi has a very strong presence even in Kerala because he has a pan India appeal and he has rightly reached out to Kerala many times.”

One of the most closely watched contests is in Thiruvananthapuram, where incumbent MP Shashi Tharoor faces stiff competition from prominent CPI (M) leader Panniyan Raveendran and the BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

MG Radhakrishnan emphasises, “Thiruvananthapuram is actually the constituency where the contest is the sharpest. This is the only seat among the 20 where the BJP came in second in the last election and the election before that. So with the candidature of Rajeev Chandrasekhar, this has become a hot seat. Shashi Tharoor has already completed a hat trick here; he is trying it for the fourth time. Tharoor was absolutely formidable in the beginning, but with the entry of Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the match has become quite unpredictable.”

As Kerala braces for the upcoming elections, the political landscape remains dynamic, with key battles shaping the state’s future representation in the Lok Sabha.

Watch the accompanying video for the entire conversation

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Lok Sabha Elections phase 2: Battle of “guarantees” in Karnataka

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

As the countdown begins for the second phase of the Lok Sabha Elections, Karnataka emerges as a key battleground with 14 constituencies up for grabs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah are locked in a battle of “guarantees,” vying for supremacy in this crucial electoral showdown.

Scheduled for April 26th, the second phase encompasses 89 constituencies spread across 13 states and union territories. In Karnataka, the focus is on Bengaluru, the southern region of Old Mysuru, and the coastal areas, where the electoral landscape is poised for a seismic shift.

The Congress Party, resurgent from its victory in last year’s state assembly elections, faces a new challenge as it seeks to defend its turf. During the state campaign, the Congress championed “five guarantees,” resonating strongly with voters. However, the current scenario is marred by a pressing issue—the worst drought in four decades, plaguing the poll-bound areas.

DP Satish, Group Editorial Advisor of South at News18, highlights the severity of the situation, stating, “Karnataka is facing the worst drought in recent history. Almost all towns in Karnataka state have been declared drought-hit towns. Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka are also facing water shortage.”

Amidst this backdrop, the Congress Party, which clinched victory in the state elections on the back of its “five guarantees” campaign, now finds itself grappling with voter apprehensions exacerbated by the drought crisis.

Anurag Naidu, a Political Analyst, expresses scepticism about Congress’s current campaign, noting, “I don’t see much traction in Congress’s campaign this time around.” Despite their previous success, the party is struggling to muster enthusiasm among voters, facing difficulties in candidate selection and resorting to fielding relatives of sitting ministers and legislators.

Furthermore, the political landscape has witnessed significant shifts, with the Janata Dal Secular (JDS) switching its allegiance from the Congress to the BJP, bolstering the NDA ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. This realignment poses a formidable challenge for the Congress, especially in constituencies where the JDS-BJP combination holds sway.

Watch accompanying video for entire discussion.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Industrial growth, skill development central themes for Coimbatore constituency

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Coimbatore, a bustling city in Tamil Nadu, is currently abuzz with anticipation as supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) eagerly await the arrival of their candidate, Annamalai Kuppusamy.

Not only is Annamalai the BJP’s Tamil Nadu president, but he is also seen as a pivotal figure in the party’s future leadership. His candidacy for Coimbatore has injected renewed vigour into the political landscape of this industrial hub, especially after the BJP’s victory in the 2021 assembly elections.

Annamalai ‘s vision for Coimbatore extends beyond mere electoral success. He aims to revitalise the city’s industrial sector, leveraging its rich legacy as an industrial powerhouse. Central to his agenda is the modernisation and automation of Coimbatore’s foundries, which form the backbone of its manufacturing ecosystem. By introducing automation and streamlining operations, Annamalai aims to enhance efficiency and competitiveness, ensuring the sustainability of Coimbatore’s industrial base.

Highlighting the importance of this initiative, Annamalai remarked, “Most of the labour force in Coimbatore hails from North India, and there is a growing trend of migration back to their home states as manufacturing activities pick up there. To retain our skilled workforce and stimulate local economic growth, we need to invest in automation and create specialised industrial clusters, particularly in the automobile sector.”

The urgency to address Coimbatore’s industrial challenges is shared across the political spectrum. With the upcoming elections shaping into a three-cornered contest, candidates from various parties have made industry, growth, skill development, and job creation central themes of their campaigns.

However, amidst the promises and pledges, the ground reality remains stark. Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Coimbatore are grappling with a shortage of skilled workers and rising input costs.

R. Saravanan, Managing Director of Sandfits Foundries, emphasised the pressing need for government support in skill development, stating, “Unlike China, India lacks dedicated training institutes for the foundry industry. Establishing such institutes with government assistance is crucial to address the skill gap and enhance the competitiveness of our industries.”

Moreover, recent regulatory measures, such as the Quality Control Orders (QCOs), intended to curb sub-standard imports, have inadvertently burdened local producers with compliance costs.

Vignesh Damodharaswamy, Director of Ellen Industries, stressed the importance of advocacy at the national level to address such challenges. He stated, “We need strong representation to voice the concerns of the MSME manufacturing community and ensure that policies are conducive to their growth.”

In the midst of these challenges, the upcoming elections hold immense significance for Coimbatore’s industrial landscape. Singai Ramachandran, a first-time candidate representing the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), underscored the importance of addressing fundamental issues like escalating power prices. He remarked, “Ensuring the affordability and reliability of utilities is paramount for sustaining native businesses and safeguarding livelihoods.”

As Coimbatore braces itself for a fiercely contested election, the industrial vote bank emerges as a decisive factor.

The BJP, under the leadership of Annamalai Kuppusamy, seeks to reclaim the constituency after two decades, signalling a renewed focus on industrial rejuvenation. However, with competing visions and aspirations, the electorate faces a critical choice that will shape the trajectory of Coimbatore’s industrial renaissance.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Will welfare schemes targeting women prove to be a trump card for Mamata Banerjee? Here’s a ground report

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Welfare schemes have long been recognised as potent tools for political mobilisation, and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal is no stranger to leveraging their appeal to sway voters.

The introduction of the Lakshmi Bhandar scheme in 2021 stands as a testament to the strategic importance of social welfare initiatives in electoral politics. CNBC-TV18’s Election Exchange series delves into the enduring impact of this scheme, juxtaposed against the BJP’s nationalist rhetoric, highlighting the evolving landscape of electoral strategies.

Poornima Ghosh, a resident of Kolkata’s Bhawanipore, epitomises the tangible benefits reaped by beneficiaries of the Lakshmi Bhandar scheme. While she herself may not qualify for its benefits, her daughters-in-law have witnessed firsthand the alleviation of financial burdens through the scheme’s monthly cash transfers. This microcosm of impact underscores the scheme’s role in addressing socioeconomic disparities within the state.

The scheme’s rollout just ahead of the 2021 assembly elections proved transformative, attracting substantial support for the TMC, particularly among female voters. The post-poll survey conducted by Lokniti-CSDS indicates the scheme’s pivotal role, with half of the women electorate backing the TMC.

In the recent budget, the TMC government amplified its commitment to the Lakshmi Bhandar scheme, augmenting its funding and increasing the monthly payouts. Shashi Panja, the Minister of Women & Child Development of West Bengal, underscores the scheme’s universality and its potential to empower women across all sections of society.

“Mamata Banerjee was the first one to come up with such a scheme. It is a universal guarantee scheme for women. Tamil Nadu tried to introduce something similar, but under our scheme, every woman can be a beneficiary, not just one woman per family,” Panja told CNBC-TV18.

Nevertheless, the BJP, adopting a contrasting narrative, portrays the Lakshmi Bhandar scheme as a political inducement. Dilip Ghosh, a prominent BJP leader, emphasises broader concerns such as law and order and economic development, seeking to redirect voter focus away from welfare provisions.

Critics, including authors Brian Klaas and Nic Cheeseman, have labelled such schemes as electoral bribes. However, in the Indian context, welfare initiatives have resonated strongly with voters, as evidenced by schemes like the Ladli Behna scheme in Madhya Pradesh. Consequently, political parties across the spectrum vie to introduce similar schemes, recognising their potential to sway public opinion.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow