In Maharashtra, especially in Mumbai, Muslim women are actively filling out forms for the Ladli Behna Scheme. Many are saying that the monthly amount of ₹1,500 is as valuable as ₹15 lakhs to them. They trust the current government to continue this scheme. This support from Muslim women for the Maharashtra government’s scheme might cause concern for Uddhav Thackeray, the chief of Shiv Sena UBT, and Sharad Pawar, the leader of NCP SP.

‘Congress Didn’t Keep Their Promise’
Some Muslim women feel that Congress didn’t fulfill its promise of financial support. They believe the Ladli Behna Scheme will provide much-needed help, and they are likely to support the Mahayuti government. They also appreciate that the Modi government introduced laws against triple talaq and launched the Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme, which has continued without interruption. The opposition is worried because they are unable to counter this support or oppose the scheme effectively.

‘Scheme Introduced for Electoral Gains’
Abu Asim Azmi, a leader from the Samajwadi Party, criticized the scheme, claiming that it was introduced to win the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He questioned why the scheme wasn’t implemented during the previous 2.5 years of the government’s tenure. He also argued that ₹1,500 is not enough and promised that if their government comes to power, they will introduce better schemes.

‘Muslims Won’t Support BJP’
Sanjay Raut, a leader from Shiv Sena UBT, expressed strong views, stating that Muslims won’t support BJP as long as injustices against them continue. He argued that no matter how many schemes are introduced, Muslims should not align with BJP. On the other hand, Maharashtra’s Cabinet Minister, Deepak Kesarkar, accused the opposition of spreading false narratives out of fear that their previous propaganda won’t work in the Lok Sabha elections.

Muslim Vote Dynamics in Maharashtra
It’s important to note that Muslims make up about 12% of Maharashtra’s population. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, less than 3% of Muslims voted for NDA, while over 95% supported the opposition MVA or INDI alliance. With around 8 million Muslim women voters in Maharashtra, if a significant number support Mahayuti, it could pose a challenge for Sharad Pawar and impact Uddhav Thackeray’s political influence.