Maharashtra Results 2024: The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance registered a decisive win in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, clinching 233 out of 288 seats. The coalition, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), delivered a major blow to the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which managed to secure only 50 seats. This victory marks a sharp turnaround for the BJP and its allies, who did not perform well in the Lok Sabha elections held just a few months earlier.
So, what were the factors that turned things around for the Mahayuti? BJP gives all credit to its "organisational strength", and at least five factors that ensured this success.
Assembly Election Results 2024: FULL COVERAGE
1. Good Coordination Within Mahayuti
The Mahayuti’s victory is seen as the result of extensive "micro-level planning" and a re-calibrated strategy following its General Election setbacks. Speaking to ABP LIVE, party sources said Union Home Minister Amit Shah "led from the front", conducting numerous meetings across the state and galvanising the party’s grassroots, even as other senior leaders like Devendra Fadnavis, Nitin Gadkari, and Yogi Adityanath emerged key figures in the campaign, addressing major rallies and reinforcing the alliance’s unity.
Unlike the LS polls, when the Opposition managed to dominate the narrative, it was the BJP that set the agenda this time. The party’s focus, the sources said, was on development, combined with targeted outreach to specific voter groups.
The Mahayuti showcased a coordinated front throughout the election, with the BJP acting as a mediator during seat-sharing discussions between Shiv Sena (Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar), they said, adding that this unity was reflected in their campaign, which was marketed not just as a BJP effort but as a collective push by the Mahayuti.
Observers note that this cohesion allowed the alliance to project a clear and consistent message to voters, contrasting with the fragmented campaign run by the MVA.
2. Outreach To Social Groups
A key factor in the Mahayuti’s success was its targeted outreach to various social groups under the "micro-planning". A special plan was crafted "to reach the last person in society", and engage every section of society.
The BJP held over 250 meetings with community leaders and representatives before the code of conduct came into effect, addressing concerns raised by Dalit, OBC, and tribal communities, party insiders told ABP Live.
The BJP also responded to the Maratha agitation by emphasising its previous efforts to provide reservations and economic opportunities under leadership of Devendra Fadnavis when he was the chief minister of the state from 2014-2019. "This narrative was paired with a broader message of inclusion, aimed at countering opposition allegations of neglect."
3. Ladki Bahin Scheme For Women
The BJP leveraged welfare schemes like the "Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana" to strengthen its connection with women voters. The scheme, which promoted financial and social support for women, was accompanied by over 1,700 BJP-organised events to amplify its impact, the party sources said.
4. Development As 'Central Agenda'
Development projects completed during Fadnavis’s earlier tenure as CM were a cornerstone of the Mahayuti’s campaign, which highlighted infrastructure initiatives like the Coastal Road, Metro expansions, and Samruddhi Mahamarg. Citing "surveys", the BJP sources said people chose development as the "Number 1" agenda, which helped the BJP regain lost ground".
For farmers, the Mahayuti’s focus on addressing issues related to soybeans, onions, and cotton resonated in rural areas, they claimed, adding that promises of higher MSPs, removal of export bans, and direct financial assistance to 65 lakh farmers helped create a favourable environment in regions where the alliance had struggled previously.
5. Controlling 'Fake Narratives'
The BJP believes it lost the Lok Sabha elections due to "fake narratives", but they were ready this time to give "a strong response to all such narratives".
The BJP sources claimed they effectively countered the MVA’s "communal narratives", particularly the "fatwa issued by Sajjad Nomani of the Muslim Personal Law Board urging one-sided voting". Fadnavis showcased the video in rallies, which amplified PM Modi’s "Ek hai to safe hai (One is safe when together)" message.
The sources said Congress had also tried to spread "fake narratives about constitutional changes among Dalit and tribal communities", but the BJP responded with "constitutional awareness campaigns, including the 'Constitution Respect Yatra', focusing on the Buddhist and Matang communities". Tribal leaders were called from across the country to Maharashtra, who urged the tribal community to stand with the BJP. This yielded positive results, said the sources, adding that the BJP also engaged the OBC community, securing their support.