Delhi BJP Mulls Cash Handout Scheme For Women, Awaits National Leadership's Nod To Counter AAP's Rs 1,000 Monthly Promise

As the Delhi assembly election approaches, the local unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has written to its national leadership requesting to consider a women-friendly scheme to leverage it in the polls.

Previously, the BJP has tasted success in assembly elections after introducing Ladli Behna in Madhya Pradesh and Ladki Bahin Yojana in Maharashtra which offers monthly cash handouts to women.

The ruling party of Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already promised Rs 1,000 monthly cash payments to women, along with its six other freebies including free water, electricity, schools and hospitals.

According to Indian Express sources, this scheme was proposed during the meetings of organisational and election management committees held over the last week and conveyed to the party's top leadership.

If the proposal is accepted, this scheme will feature in the BJP’s manifesto which is likely to be released by the end of this month or early January, as per the sources.

A BJP leader quoted by Indian Express called the idea of a women-focused scheme a 'significant suggestion' among several other suggestions, which will be announced after receiving a go-ahead.

"The implementation of a scheme similar to the Ladli Behna and Ladki Bahin schemes is one of the significant suggestions. The final decision will come in a few days," the leader stated.

The Delhi BJP has also started addressing allegations from the AAP about a “misinformation campaign” related to claims of discontinuing existing subsidies across government departments.

On Monday, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, South Delhi BJP MP and convener of the party’s manifesto committee, clarified that a BJP-led government in Delhi would uphold the subsidies introduced by the AAP government.

Bidhuri, echoing Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva's vision, assured that the BJP would not only retain existing social schemes and subsidies but also enhance their quality and expand to include additional sections.