Queen’s Gambit: The Increasing Presence of Female Voters in Indian Elections Has Compelled Parties to Take Appropriate Actions

A Queen’s Gambit is an opening move in the game of chess that may require some material sacrifice but unquestionably establishes dominance over the board. Political maneuvers and techniques in elections are similar to those in chess.

India’s female voters are becoming the Queen’s Gambit, to the extent that even the traditionally anti-freebie BJP has extended financial support to female voters in Chhattisgarh for the first time. There are just the statistics to blame. The political parties shift their policy in response to the growing number of female voters.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel of Chhattisgarh has referred to the state’s venerated mother goddess, Mahtari, in all of his political addresses. He unveiled his party’s election agenda and revealed the Mahtari Nyay Yojana, an initiative that would provide women from all economic backgrounds with a Rs 500 cooking gas subsidy. He also pledged a comparable assistance program, such as a loan waiver for farmers, and a loan waiver for women’s self-help organizations.

The BJP was not lagging behind the Congress as it made every effort to win over female votes. The party unveiled the “Mahtari Vandan Scheme,” which would provide married women in the state with an annual payment of Rs 12,000, as part of its election pledge.

GRUHA LAKSHMI, MAHTARI, LAXMI BHANDAR: THE RISE OF WOMEN VOTERS

Notably, the outcomes of the elections in West Bengal in 2021 and Karnataka in 2023 demonstrate the significant influence that female voters had on polling. With her “Laxmi Bhandar” declaration, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave every female voters a cash support of Rs 500, which helped the party win the state handily.

Similar trends were seen in Karnataka, where the Congress named “Gruha Lakshmi,” or financial support for women, in its platform. That so, Banerjee’s Bengal announcement of financial help was four times less than the promised amount.

Following the Karnataka elections, the Congress included the cash aid program for female voters into their electoral strategy and unveiled like initiatives in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. This is the first time, however, that the BJP’s top leadership has included financial support for women to its agenda.

The party offered an annual payment of Rs 12,000 for voters who are married women. Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled the plan in Chhattisgarh, and the state’s BJP platform includes it.

News18 was informed by a top BJP official in the state that previous chief minister Raman Singh aggressively advocated for a financial aid program focused on women. During party meetings, he said that a plan similar to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan’s “Ladli Behena” ought to be included in the manifesto. Shah declared the plan and gave it the moniker “Mahtari Vandan Scheme.”

The Queen’s Cravings

The second most important aspect, after the cost of purchasing paddy, has been the presence of female voters in Chhattisgarh during this election.

In certain seats, women voters almost outnumber male voters. As a result, Congress and the BJP have been vying for support on themes ranging from a planned alcohol ban to special financial aid.

Data from the Election Commission indicates that there are 1,02,39,410 female voters and 1,01,20,040 male voters. The number of female voters has surpassed that of male voters by more than one lakh.

“In a state like Chhattisgarh, where Mahtari, the mother figure, is worshipped by all, women voters are actually the mainstay for any party,” a senior Congress official said. In 16 out of 20 seats during the first phase, female voters outnumbered male voters. Out of 70 seats, women hold the advantage in around 60 to 65 constituencies during the second phase of voting. Women votes are so crucial in an election that is so closely contested.