The 2024 Maharashtra election result delivered a shock and surprise, with the BJP-led Mahayuti achieving a landslide victory that caught opposition leaders off guard. This victory, achieved through months of strategic consolidation of Hindu votes, was bolstered by the involvement of Maharashtra’s Bhakti Movement, especially figures like Warkaris, kirtankars, and bhajankaris. These religious leaders and movements, tied to 17th-century Bhakti poet Sant Tukaram, played a critical role in spreading the message of Hindu unity across the state.
The BJP’s victory in Maharashtra was significant, with the party securing 132 seats in the 288-member assembly, and the Mahayuti alliance achieving a total of 233 seats. This was a dramatic reversal for the opposition, which was reduced to just 49 seats. The involvement of Warkaris—pilgrims making the annual trek to Pandharpur to honor Lord Vitthal—was particularly impactful. These Warkaris are deeply respected in Marathi society, and their outreach, combined with efforts by kirtankars and bhajankaris, created a wide-reaching network of support across both urban and rural Maharashtra.
The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) led a coordinated campaign, involving 110 organizations, to solidify this Hindu consolidation. Smita Deshmukh, a political commentator, describes how the RSS mobilized the community through extensive efforts like 60,000 voter meetings, the distribution of messages during religious gatherings, and the use of social media platforms to unite Hindu voters against caste-based fragmentation. In this campaign, kirtankars and Warkaris were pivotal in delivering the message of unity.
Political historian Vaibhav Purandare highlights how the BJP’s outreach to the Warkaris, including significant funds for their pilgrimage and pension schemes for senior participants, helped strengthen the Mahayuti’s narrative. The BJP's initiatives such as the Mukhya Mantri Warkari Sampradaya Mahamandal, which allocated Rs 50 crore as start-up capital, and the Rs 20,000 per dindi (pilgrim group) subsidy, played a key role in gaining Warkari support. Additionally, the establishment of sanitation and drinking water facilities for pilgrims along the Pandharpur Wari pilgrimage route helped improve their condition, marking a shift from previous political lip service.
The BJP’s engagement with Warkaris also successfully countered the narrative pushed by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which had painted the Mahayuti as pro-Gujarat and dismissive of Marathi culture. By promoting the Warkari cause and securing Marathi's classical language status, the Mahayuti effectively neutralized this perception and appealed to regional pride. The BJP's free pilgrimage scheme and other efforts contributed to the perception that they were addressing long-standing socio-cultural issues that had been overlooked for decades.
Moreover, the viral video of Maulana Sajjad Nomani, calling for the social boycott of Muslims who supported the BJP, added fuel to the counter-mobilization. Political commentators note that this video, which called for votes for the Congress-led MVA, helped galvanize Hindu voters, especially in rural areas, where priests and religious leaders began encouraging voters to choose unity over division.
The consolidation of Hindu votes also showed its tangible impact in electoral outcomes. For example, in the Dhule constituency, despite winning five assembly segments, the BJP had previously lost the seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections due to overwhelming Muslim support for Congress. This time, the BJP increased its seat count in areas with significant Muslim populations—growing from 11 seats in 2019 to 14. A particularly striking result was in Gondiya, a Congress stronghold, where the BJP won by a margin of 61,000 votes, a seat that had never been won by the party before.
In conclusion, while opposition leaders remain in shock over the outcome, the silent yet powerful mobilization of Warkaris and kirtankars in Maharashtra led to a seismic shift in the state’s political landscape. It was this quiet movement, amplified through extensive outreach efforts and religious channels, that powered the BJP-led Mahayuti to a resounding victory in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.
