The slogan used by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as “Batenge to Katenge,” has been deployed by the BJP in the Maharashtra Assembly election to rally Hindu voters and discourage caste-based voting. However, it has caused discomfort among the Mahayuti leaders.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has distanced himself from the BJP’s controversial “Batenge toh Katenge” slogan, calling it unsuitable for the state. Pawar acknowledged that opinions within the BJP differ on this issue. Instead, he expressed his support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Ek hai toh Safe hai” slogan, which promotes unity and development key goals for the Mahayuti alliance as they prepare for the upcoming assembly elections.
The “Batenge toh Katenge” slogan has been criticized by opposition leaders for having communal undertones. “I have publicly and in media interviews shared my disagreement with the ‘Batenge toh Katenge’ slogan,” Pawar stated. “Some BJP leaders have also voiced similar concerns. ‘Sabka saath, Sabka vikas’ stands for togetherness and development for all. Now, ‘Ek hain toh safe hain’ follows the same principle of unity,” he explained to the media. Along with Ajit Pawar, other leaders such as BJP MP Ashok Chavan and MLC Pankaja Munde have not appreciated the slogan.
BJP MP and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said while has criticising the slogan ‘batenge to katenge,’ calling it tasteless and irrelevant, adding that it will not be well-received by the public. Mr. Chavan also dismissed the ‘vote jihad-dharma yuddha’ rhetoric, emphasising that the BJP and the ruling Mahayuti’s primary focus remains the development of Maharashtra and the nation.
Ajit Pawar and Ashok Chavan, coming from a Congress-leaning background, might naturally find it difficult to support this slogan after joining the BJP. However, even Pankaja Munde, a former minister and MLA with years of experience in BJP politics, does not accept the slogan ‘Batenge to Katenge.’ Speaking about this, she stated”Honestly, my political views are different. I won’t support something just because I’m in the same party. I believe we should focus solely on development.”
In an interview with the Press Journal on this matter, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was asked about it. He stated that “some leaders did not understand the meaning of the slogan ‘Batenge to Katenge.’ We’ll help them understand it better. I also spoke with Pankaja Munde, and she assured me that the BJP will focus on its work rather than divisive slogans. So, it’s clear that she is not conflicted on this issue”.
He also targeted the INDIA alliance for spreading false narratives and promoting “vote jihad” ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He admitted that the BJP had failed to counter this rhetoric, which led to setbacks in SC/ST parliamentary constituencies. He added that “Batenge to Katenge” is the BJP’s response to the “vote jihad” narrative.
