Watch: Eknath Shinde’s selfie moment as ‘Ladki Bahins’ powers Mahayuti to victory in Maharashtra | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde took a moment to celebrate the Mahayuti alliance’s resounding victory in the 2024 assembly elections by recognizing the role of women in the state. During an event related to the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana (Ladki Bahin Scheme), Shinde clicked selfies with the attendees and attributed the plan to its electoral success.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Shinde expressed his gratitude saying, “I thank all my ladki bahins in the state and the brothers who voted for us in large numbers. The voting trend is confirmation of our work. All sections of society supported us through our development efforts.”

The opposition weighs in
NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) chief Sharad Pawar, reflecting on the election results, acknowledged that women’s participation and programs like Ladki Bahin contributed significantly to the Mahayuti drive. “The Ladki Bahin plan and religious polarization may have played a role. The participation of women in large numbers could be the reason for this outcome,” Pawar said while addressing reporters in Karad. Despite the setback, he vowed to revive his party and its leadership.
Pawar suffered his worst ever political defeat with his faction winning only 10 seats compared to 41 seats won by the NCP faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP (132 seats), Shiv Sena (57 seats) and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP (41 seats), emerged victorious with 230 seats in the 288-member assembly. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi was limited to just 46 seats.
About the Ladki Bahin plan
The Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, launched on Raksha Bandhan in August 2024, provides Rs 1,500 monthly to financially disadvantaged women in Maharashtra of over one crore. Women aged 21 to 65 with an annual household income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh are eligible.
During a pilot phase earlier this year, more than 30 lakh women received Rs 3,000 directly into their bank accounts. Inspired by Madhya Pradesh’s Ladli Behna Yojana, Shinde assured that Maharashtra’s version would continue indefinitely.
A historic mandate
While trends confirmed the Mahayuti’s victory, Shinde emphasized that public recognition of their development efforts was behind the success. With women now a key target group, the Ladki Bahin plan appears to have played a crucial role in securing the alliance’s mandate.