Maharashtra polls: MVA unveils five guarantees, Rs 3,000 per month to women

In the run-up to the Maharashtra assembly elections, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance of Opposition parties including the Congress has pledged five welfare guarantees aimed at providing economic relief and social support across various demographics.

Taking a cue from Karnataka — where Congress formed the government with similar promises — the MVA has introduced welfare schemes targeting women, farmers, youth, and healthcare.

Flanked by alliance partners Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackary, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announced the guarantees in Mumbai, highlighting their goal of providing nyay (justice) to every section of society.

The Congress has traditionally relied on welfare-oriented politics, aiming to address economic disparities and provide financial support to underserved communities. With these guarantees, Congress and its allies are once again banking on a broad-based appeal to counter the BJP’s Hindutva politics in the state.

MVA’s five guarantees

1. Mahalakshmi Yojana – Under this initiative, the MVA promises Rs 3,000 per month for women and free bus travel for women and girls.

2. Farm Loan Waivers and Incentives – Farmers will receive a loan waiver of up to Rs 3 lakh, with an additional incentive of Rs 50,000 for timely loan repayment.

3. Caste Census and Reservation Policy – MVA pledged to conduct a caste census to better understand social dynamics and remove the existing 50 per cent limit on reservations.

4. Health Insurance and Free Medicines – The alliance promises health insurance coverage up to Rs 25 lakh and free medicines to improve healthcare access.

5. Unemployment Assistance – Unemployed youth will receive monthly support of up to Rs 4,000.

"We fulfill every promise made to the public, but still Narendra Modi makes fun of us. I want to ask Modiji, how many of your guarantees have you fulfilled in 10 years? You said you will deposit Rs 15 lakh in people's bank accounts and will create 2 crore jobs every year...But he did nothing for anyone, just lied to the public," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said after unveiling the five guarantees.

Addressing the Mumbai rally, Rahul Gandhi framed the election as a battle of ideologies, contrasting BJP and RSS with the INDIA alliance.

“On one hand, there’s the BJP-RSS. On the other, we have the values of B.R. Ambedkar’s Constitution, which stands for equality and respect,” he said. He criticised the BJP government for rising inflation and unemployment, asserting that Congress’ policies prioritise the welfare of the common citizen.

"Narendra Modi, BJP-RSS are engaged in destroying the Constitution of the country. But the people of India and the INDIA alliance will continue to protect the Constitution at all costs," said Rahul Gandhi.

sMeanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress’ ally in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), also rolled out a set of welfare guarantees.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray committed to providing free education to boys in government schools, arguing that boys, like girls, should benefit from free higher education.

Thackeray announced that the MVA would stabilise the prices of essential commodities, including pulses, oil, sugar, and rice, echoing his predecessor Manohar Joshi’s approach during his tenure in 1995.

Thackeray also promised a minimum support price (MSP) for farmers, a stronger police force with greater female representation, and the development of police stations staffed entirely by women officers. He vowed to reverse controversial projects, like the Dharavi redevelopment plan, in favor of affordable housing for local residents, pledging that bhoomiputra (sons of the soil) would receive affordable housing across Mumbai.

As Maharashtra heads to the polls on 20 November, with results expected on 23 November, the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP are working to solidify their coalition strategy.

The Congress is to contest around 102 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP expected to field candidates in 96 and 86 seats, respectively. Efforts are ongoing to accommodate smaller allies, including the SP, PWP, and Left parties, who will contest a handful of seats allocated from the larger parties’ share.