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Congress announces the ‘Pyari Didi’ scheme ahead of the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, pledging ₹2,500 per month to women.
NEW DELHI: Ahead of the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, the Congress party has announced the ‘Pyari Didi’ scheme, pledging ₹2,500 per month as financial assistance to every woman in the national capital. The initiative, modeled on the party’s successful guarantee programs in Karnataka, has been positioned as a central plank of its election manifesto.
This announcement marks Congress’ entry into the competitive arena of welfare schemes, a strategy that has been pivotal in Delhi politics.
After AAP and BJP, Congress has also followed the same path. It is said that Arvind Kejriwal’s free electricity and free bus service for women in the capital played a key role in the Aam Aadmi Party’s significant victory in the last two Delhi assembly elections. Similarly, the BJP secured success in Maharashtra with its Ladli Bahna Yojana.
AAP has also upped the ante in its campaign for the upcoming elections. On December 12, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a new scheme promising ₹1,000 per month to women, with a pledge to increase it to ₹2,100 if AAP retains power in February’s election.
Meanwhile, the BJP has assured voters that it will not discontinue existing benefits if it comes to power, seeking to retain its appeal among the electorate.
The Congress, which has been out of power in Delhi since 2013 and has failed to secure any seats in the last two assembly elections, is looking to make a comeback. The ‘Pyari Didi’ scheme is seen as a bold attempt to reconnect with voters, particularly women, who are a critical demographic in the city.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) President Devender Yadav expressed optimism about the scheme’s potential to resonate with voters. “After the successful launch of our guarantee programs in Karnataka, we are committed to replicating this model in Delhi. The ‘Pyari Didi’ scheme will be implemented on the very first day of our government. This initiative aims to empower women and ensure economic stability for families,” said Shivakumar.
The Congress’ strategy appears to mirror its approach in Karnataka, where similar welfare schemes played a crucial role in its electoral success. By addressing women voters, who often drive household decisions, the party hopes to regain its lost foothold in Delhi politics.
It will be interesting to see if this works in favor of Congress, which has been losing in Delhi for the last two elections with zero seats in its account, but it has certainly added momentum to the Congress campaign. The announcement has been viewed as a decisive move to challenge the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming elections.
