As Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the Chief Minister after the Mahayuti won a historic mandate, there is much for the Hindu Samaj to learn from this landslide victory. It is historic in more ways than one as it comes within six months of a not-so-good Loksabha performance by the Mahayuti alliance this May.
Several factors turned the tide in favour of the saffron alliance. We look at the five important reasons for Mahayuti’s landslide win in Vidhansabha 2024.
Mahayuti’s welfare schemes
Welfare schemes played a major role in ensuring the saffron alliance won a handsome mandate. Be it the Ladki Bahin Yojana where women were given 1500 per month or the Ladka Bhau Yojana aimed at equipping unemployed youth and students with valuable skills to ensure their jobs and livelihood. The Ladki Bahin Yojana was modelled after Madhya Pradesh’s Ladli Behana scheme introduced by former CM and present Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Mahayuti had schemes targeting every section of the society that increased its appeal among voters.
Infrastructure and development projects
It was not just the doles but also the development work done in the two and half years of Eknath Shinde’s term as Chief Minister with Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy. Devendra Fadnavis got a chance to resume infrastructure work started during his regime that had been stalled by Uddhav Thackeray-led Mahavikas Aghadi government. Projects like the Atal Setu and Mumbai Metro got a boost. Mahayuti also focussed on developing Naxal-affected areas like Gadchiroli thereby ensuring the youth in these areas could join the mainstream.
Course correction
The most important reason for the turnaround was course correction after the Loksabha debacle. Failure to counter fake narratives spread by the opposition cost the saffron alliance precious seats during the Loksabha elections. They not only reworked alliances but also focussed on community outreach and working out caste equations for each constituency while keeping the overarching Hindu unity umbrella intact.
“Batenge toh katenge” slogan and Hindu unity
The BJP’s Hindutva messaging played a pivotal role in its strategy. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s slogan, “Batenge toh katenge” (divided we fall), became a powerful rallying cry, later reinforced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion, “Ek hain toh safe hain” (unity ensures safety).
This approach aimed to bridge caste-based divisions that had previously hindered the BJP’s performance in the Loksabha elections. By emphasizing unity within the Hindu community, the party successfully consolidated a cohesive voter base. The Hindutva narrative, with its focus on the Ram Mandir, cow protection, and cultural nationalism, struck a chord, particularly in rural and semi-urban regions. It must be highlighted that Mahayuti Sarkar declared the Desi cow as Rajyamata (state animal) this October.
Role of Bhajankaris, Kirtankars and Warkaris
Bhajankaris, Kirtankars, and Wakaris played a silent yet significant role behind the scenes to consolidate Hindu votes for Mahayuti. The silent yet strategic mobilisation of Warkaris, kirtankars, and bhajankars—respected figures in Maharashtra’s Bhakti Movement, deeply influential in Marathi society, played a pivotal role in spreading the message of Hindu unity and consolidating votes across caste lines.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) spearheaded this effort with over 60,000 voter-contact meetings, using pravachans, powadas, and social media to amplify the campaign. Religious leaders like Warkari Kirtankar Prakash Maharaj Sathe urged voters to prioritize Hindu unity over caste-based politics. The Warkaris, known for their annual 250-km pilgrimage to Bhagwan Vitthal’s Mandir in Pandharpur, symbolize unity across castes and hold immense respect in their communities. Their mobilisation resonated deeply, reinforcing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for unity with the slogan “Ek hain toh safe hain” (unity ensures safety).
The BJP built on years of outreach to the Warkari community, beginning from Fadnavis’ previous tenure as Chief Minister. In the two and half years of Mahayuti’s term with CM Shinde in the lead, initiatives like pensions for senior Warkaris, ₹50 crore allocated for the Warkari Sampradaya Mahamandal, and improved sanitation for pilgrims addressed long-ignored issues. These measures, along with granting Marathi classical language status, countered opposition narratives accusing the Mahayuti of neglecting Marathi culture.
This grassroots mobilisation unified OBC communities, including Telis, Malis, Sutars, and Banjaras, under the Hindutva banner, reducing caste-based divisions that had fragmented Hindu votes in previous elections. The strategy also countered the Congress-led opposition’s focus on a caste census and consolidated Muslim votes.
The results were striking. The BJP gained in constituencies with large Muslim populations and won traditional Congress strongholds like Gondiya. By leveraging the cultural and spiritual influence of the Bhakti Movement, the Mahayuti achieved a silent yet transformative wave of support, reshaping Maharashtra’s political landscape and reinforcing its message of Hindu unity. This is a model that can be replicated across Bharat, considering Bhakti has always been a unifying force in Hindu Samaj.
