Over the past month, four states — Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal — and one union territory, Pondicherry, have voted in assembly elections, and women voters have been the focus of India’s political parties. With women comprising around 51 percent of the electorate, politicians have gone all out to woo them with promises of direct cash transfers, free cooking gas cylinders, household grocery and health cards.

While ruling parties that are facing anti-incumbency are promising hefty cash transfers to women voters under various socio-economic schemes, opposition challengers are promising even larger sums to woo women.

In the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), headed by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, has promised a monthly payment of 2,000 Indian rupees (roughly $21) to women. Stalin had started the scheme titled “Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai Scheme” (Women Rights Grant Scheme) in 2023 as an unconditional monthly cash transfer of Rs 1,000 ($11) in recognition of the unpaid domestic labor and caregiving work that women do. This has since become an immensely popular scheme for poor households and the DMK has now promised to double this amount. If the DMK returns to power, it has proposed a new “Illathu Arasi” (Queen of the Home) scheme under which it will provide women with coupons worth $84, which they can use to buy household and kitchen appliances.

Incidentally, while most critics dismiss such schemes as freebies or election sops to bribe women voters, the DMK government views these as welfare programs that are an integral part of its social justice and economic growth model of governance.

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has had little presence in Tamil Nadu, is contesting the election in alliance with the regional All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). Eager to gain a foothold in the state, the combine has promised 2,000 Indian rupees ($21) as a stipend and three free cooking gas cylinders to households on three festivals. The BJP is hoping to outdo the DMK with its cooking gas promise to alleviate the Iran war-induced cooking gas crisis in Tamil homes.

Amongst the most keenly watched electoral contests this poll season is in the eastern state of West Bengal, where three-time female Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress is seeking a fourth straight term and the opposition BJP putting up a no-holds-barred fight to come to power. Banerjee has always enjoyed the support of women, which she has built through women-friendly welfare schemes like the “Lakshmir Bhandar” (Goddess Lakshmi’s treasury), a monthly cash entitlement scheme for women.

Aware that weaning away the women’s vote from the TMC would prove a major game changer, India’s Home Minister Amit Shah, who has been campaigning extensively in Bengal for the BJP, has promised to double the amount offered by the TMC if the BJP comes to power.

However, TMC leaders are not apprehensive about the BJP’s promises cutting into their support base. Parliamentarian Sushmita Dev told The Diplomat that Banerjee’s “schemes are aimed at empowering women.” Pointing to the fact that the TMC programs were started a long time back — Lakshmir Bhandar was put in place in 2021 — and women in Bengal have benefited from it, Dev said that the BJP’s promises stem from “competitive politics and mere tokenism.”

“We have nothing to worry,” she added.

The significance of women voters can be gleaned from voter statistics in Bengal in the first phase of voting, which happened on April 23. Of the total 36,077,171 voters in the 152 constituencies that voted in phase one, 17,577,210, or half the electorate, are women. Importantly, the turnout of women voters has been increasing over the years.

It is ironic that the BJP, which aims to attract women voters, has a particularly misogynistic record. Its senior leaders have shown scant respect for women and resort to “cat calling” Banerjee.  While campaigning in Bengal, Shah belted out a warning to Banerjee and addressed her in an undignified manner. The TMC has responded by saying that women voters will avenge this insult to “Didi” or elder sister, as Banerjee is called, by bringing her back to power.

Political parties across the spectrum are acutely aware of the fact that the Iran war has sent household expenses spiraling. Hence, politicians are making an extra effort to address the concerns of women voters.

In the southern state of Kerala, where the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)- led Left Democratic Front is in power, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is keen to win a third consecutive term. Women outnumber men, 51 percent to 48 percent, in this state, according to current electoral rolls, and parties recognize that they can play a decisive role in influencing how families vote.

With its welfare-centric approach to governance, especially for vulnerable sections, the LDF government announced the “Sthree Suraksha Scheme” (Women’s Financial Security Scheme), which promises 1,000 rupees ($11) as a monthly pension to unemployed women between the ages of 35 and 60 years from poor households. Transgender individuals are also covered by the scheme. The LDF has promised to hike pensions for senior citizens as well.

The challenger, the Congress-led United Democratic Front, has also pledged to increase pensions for senior citizens. In an outreach to women, it has promised free bus travel for women on government-run buses and monthly allowances of 1,000 rupees ($11) for college-going girls.

The BJP, which is desperate to gain a foothold in Kerala, has promised 3,000 rupees ($32) as a monthly pension for women-headed, poor households, widows and senior citizens. It has also pledged an innovative “grocery/health card” with a monthly top-up of 2,500 rupees ($26) for women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families to buy medicines and groceries. It has also promised to provide three cooking gas cylinders twice a year during festivals.

Some dismiss the efficacy of women-focused sops in winning elections. However, it is a fact that the BJP’s promise during the Bihar election campaign last year to provide women with a one-time 10,000 rupee ($106) direct cash transfer was among the principal reasons for its sweeping victory.

In the BJP-ruled northeastern state of Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is popular among women voters and not without reason. Over the past five years, his government unleashed several cash transfer schemes aimed at different segments of women, including the Orunodai scheme that provides $13 monthly assistance to women from poor households, monthly stipends for female students and seed money for Women Self Help Groups. While the opposition Congress has criticized the Assam government’s dole policy, it too has promised an unconditional cash transfer and reservation of jobs in government for women.

Recognizing the role of women voters, the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Center projected itself as supportive of women’s empowerment. In a last-minute attempt at wooing voters, it called a parliament session ostensibly to implement the Women’s Reservation Bill, providing a 33 percent quota for women in state and central legislatures. The bill was passed two years ago and the government had put off implementing it. When the opposition rejected it since it was clubbed with a controversial bill for delimitation of electoral boundaries, the Modi government went to town in its election rallies, accusing them of being “anti-women.”

Will the gimmicks of India’s parties and politicians to sway women voters impact their choices. We will know on May 4, when votes will be counted and results announced.