A decision by the Maharashtra government to transfer two months' instalments of a key welfare scheme to women beneficiaries on the eve of crucial municipal elections has triggered a major political controversy, pitting the ruling Mahayuti alliance against the opposition Congress.
Congress Cries Foul, Calls It "Collective Bribe"
The flashpoint is the state's plan to credit the December 2025 and January 2026 instalments of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, totalling Rs 3,000, to beneficiaries' accounts on January 14. This date falls just a day before voting for municipal polls in several civic bodies. The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has formally approached the State Election Commission (SEC), objecting to the timing.
The party has termed the payment plan a "collective government bribe" aimed at influencing over 1 crore women voters and a clear violation of the model code of conduct. The Congress has urged the poll panel to direct the government to release the funds only after the conclusion of voting.
Government Defends Move, Accuses Congress of Opportunism
Hitting back, Revenue Minister and Nagpur District Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule dismissed the Congress's objections as political opportunism. At a press conference on Sunday, he asserted that the welfare scheme predates the announcement of the civic polls and has "nothing to do with municipal elections."
"This is an ongoing welfare programme of the state government. For polls in 29 civic bodies, women across the entire state cannot be deprived of their rightful benefits," Bawankule stated. He warned that any attempt to stall the payments would amount to discrimination against women beneficiaries.
The minister accused the Congress of hypocrisy, recalling that the party had initially tried to stop the scheme's launch. "When this government launched the scheme, Congress tried everything to stop it. Former MPCC president Nana Patole attempted to derail the scheme by encouraging a petition in the high court," he alleged.
Welfare vs. Election Ethics: The Core Debate
Bawankule emphasized that with nearly 2.5 crore beneficiaries across Maharashtra, stopping payments due to elections would cause genuine hardship. "Welfare cannot be switched on and off for political convenience," he argued, framing the issue as one of administrative continuity versus electoral propriety.
Echoing the sentiment, Nagpur BJP city president Dayashankar Tiwari called the Congress's objection an exposure of its "anti-women mindset." The ruling alliance contends that the scheduled payment is part of a routine government process and should not be halted, while the opposition insists it is a blatant attempt to use state machinery for electoral gain on the eve of polls.
The controversy has put the State Election Commission in a pivotal position, as it must now weigh the allegations of a model code breach against the government's argument for uninterrupted welfare delivery. The outcome could set a significant precedent for how similar schemes are handled during election periods in the future.
