Ajit Pawar’s Election Drive: Signature Campaigns, Digital Outreach, and More

Reported by Tikam Shekhawat

Pune, 16th September 2024: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Deputy Chief Minister and National President Ajit Pawar, has been making waves with its innovative and multifaceted election campaign ahead of the state polls. Embracing a mix of digital technology and unique on-ground activities, the campaign seeks to connect with over 9.5 crore voters in the state.

The campaign has rolled out a variety of initiatives, including animated videos, wall signature campaigns, rangoli-making competitions, and human chain events. Each of these efforts showcases the creativity and modern approach the NCP has adopted to reach voters.

One of the most striking events was the “Human Chain Program,” held today in the Shirur Assembly Constituency. Hundreds of women formed a human chain around the Vagheshwar Mahadev Mandir in Mandavgan Farata village, expressing support for NCP’s welfare schemes. The event saw active participation from local leaders, including Sarpanch Samiksha Akshay Pharate, Women District President Monika Hargude, and Women Taluka President Arti Bhujbal.

Earlier, on Sunday, NCP’s women wing organized a large-scale signature campaign in Pune’s Parvati and Hadapsar Assembly constituencies. Thousands of people signed in support of welfare programs, accompanied by the party’s campaign song “Dada Cha Waada,” which energized the crowd.

Ajit Pawar’s campaign has extensively utilized social media platforms to amplify its message. An animated video about the ‘Mukhya Mantri Baliraja Vij Savlat Yojana’ was shared across digital platforms yesterday. The scheme offers free electricity to agricultural pump users with a capacity of up to 7.5 horsepower, benefiting over 44 lakh farmers across the state. The government allocated ₹14,761 crores in the recent budget to support the initiative.

On Ganesh Chaturthi, the NCP shared another animated video highlighting schemes like the Majhi Ladki Bahin program, under which women receive financial assistance of ₹1,500. The video, which credited the success of these schemes to Ganpati Bappa, has resonated with audiences, garnering significant online engagement.

The party’s new campaign song “Dada Cha Waada” also gained massive traction, receiving over 1 crore views within a day of its release on September 8. This follows the success of another campaign song, “Kaam Karat Aloy, Kaam Karat Rahnar,” which racked up over 75 lakh views soon after its launch.

On Friday, NCP State President Sunil Tatkare led a signature campaign in Pune, where thousands signed a pledge supporting the continuation of the Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme. The party’s youth wing, led by Suraj Chavan, has also been active in organizing signature campaigns across various constituencies. For instance, Chavan spearheaded campaigns in Vadgaon Sheri and Pimpri Assembly constituencies, drawing widespread participation from voters.

NCP’s youth and cultural wings have also hosted creative events, such as a Rangoli competition in the Mohol Assembly constituency in Solapur district, where participants depicted various welfare schemes in their colorful designs.

Frontal organizations like the NCP Youth Congress and Jamkhed wing have been proactive in organizing grand signature campaigns. A notable event in Jamkhed saw the involvement of prominent party leaders, including NCP Yuvati Maharashtra State President Sandhya Sonawane and NCP Ahmednagar District President Balasaheb Nahata.

As the election approaches, NCP’s student, cultural, social justice, and minorities wings continue to organize grassroots initiatives in various assembly constituencies. These campaigns aim to bolster voter engagement and ensure that the party’s welfare schemes resonate with diverse sections of the population.

Ajit Pawar’s campaign is a blend of digital innovation and traditional grassroots organizing. From leveraging social media to engage urban audiences to organizing ground events in rural areas, the NCP is positioning itself as a party that is both modern and deeply connected to the public.

With the state heading to the polls in the coming months, these creative and diverse strategies highlight the NCP’s determination to secure a strong mandate.