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As the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections approach, political campaigns have increasingly been dominated by high-decibel slogans, with both major parties deploying catchy phrases to rally their supporters. These elections, which will take place in a single phase in Maharashtra on November 20 and in two phases in Jharkhand on November 13 and 20, have seen the political atmosphere in both states become charged with intense verbal sparring. Opposition Raises Concerns Over Shortened Election Timeline When the Election Commission announced the election schedule on October 15, opposition parties in Maharashtra raised concerns over the shortened 35-day campaign period.
The opposition argued that this brief timeline was insufficient for candidates to select, file nominations, and hold comprehensive campaigns. However, despite these concerns, political parties in both states quickly launched into battle, using slogans that have since taken center stage in the electoral conversation. BJP’s 'Batenge Toh Katenge' and 'Ek Hai Toh Safe Hai' The BJP's election campaign in Maharashtra and Jharkhand has been largely characterized by two significant slogans.
The first, “Batenge Toh Katenge” (Divided we perish), was popularized by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. This slogan, aimed at uniting Hindus against alleged atrocities in Bangladesh, became a major talking point during the election rallies. Yogi Adityanath used it to target the Congress, Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, Sharad Pawar's NCP, and Hemant Soren-led JMM in both Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
Despite the BJP’s attempts to present the slogan as a call for unity, the opposition quickly accused it of having communal undertones. However, the BJP defended the slogan, claiming it was meant to foster unity rather than division. Within the BJP ranks, the slogan also sparked internal division.
Several prominent BJP leaders, including former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan and Pankaja Munde, rejected it outright. The most significant opposition came from Ajit Pawar, a leader in the NCP, who criticized the slogan in no uncertain terms. “We immediately said that this is not Uttar Pradesh, it must be going on in the North, not in our Maharashtra,” he remarked.
Despite his open disapproval, BJP's Devendra Fadnavis downplayed the disagreement, suggesting that Pawar needed more time to understand the mood of the people, given his long tenure in politics. Data Science MySQL for Beginners: Learn Data Science and Analytics Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Intermediate C++ Skills: Master Pointers, Structures and File Stream By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Tabnine AI Masterclass: Optimize Your Coding Efficiency By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By - Neil Patel, Co-Founder and Author at Neil Patel Digital Digital Marketing Guru View Program Strategy ESG and Business Sustainability Strategy By - Vipul Arora, Partner, ESG & Climate Solutions at Sattva Consulting Author I Speaker I Thought Leader View Program Finance Tally Prime & GST Accounting: Complete Guide By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Marketing Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups: From Concept to Conversion By - Dr.
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This phrase, which Modi used throughout his campaign, sought to provide a positive spin to the BJP’s message of unity while criticizing Congress for allegedly creating divisions within society. The Prime Minister accused Congress of promoting caste-based politics, particularly its push for a national caste census. “People of Haryana foiled the conspiracy of Congress by following the 'Ek hai toh safe hai' mantra,” Modi stated at a rally in Maharashtra’s Akola.
Congress Counters with 'Daroge Toh Maroge' In response to the BJP’s slogans, Congress launched its own slogan: “Daroge Toh Maroge” (If you fear, you will perish). This slogan was aimed at criticizing the BJP for allegedly instilling fear among the population. The slogan, inspired by Rahul Gandhi's recent calls for the public not to be afraid of the BJP’s “atmosphere of fear,” was presented as a stark contrast to the BJP’s divisive rhetoric.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took the lead in promoting this slogan. Addressing a rally in Jharkhand, Kharge criticized Yogi Adityanath’s “Batenge Toh Katenge” slogan and called for unity instead of fear. He said, "Yogi-ji visited here a few days ago.
.. But sadhus must be compassionate and unite people to safeguard humanity.
However, he said, 'Batoge Toh Katoge'. You must now understand that 'Daroge Toh Maroge'." Kharge accused the BJP of spreading fear to divide the nation, stating, “The Prime Minister says 'Ek Hai toh Safe Hai' while other leaders (of BJP) talk about 'Batenge toh Katenge' (divided we fall).
Who is threatened? Is there any problem? In fact, the country faces threat from RSS, BJP, Modi, and (Union Home Minister Amit) Shah.” BJP’s Focus on 'Roti, Beti, Aur Mati' in Jharkhand In Jharkhand, the BJP’s campaign adopted a slogan focused on the issues faced by the state’s tribal population: “Roti, Beti, Aur Mati” (Food, Daughter, and Land). The BJP used this slogan to accuse the ruling JMM-Congress alliance of allowing outsiders to exploit the region’s resources and culture.
The BJP targeted the issue of land encroachment and alleged that infiltrators were taking advantage of the local tribal communities, particularly by marrying tribal women and acquiring land. RSS Campaign: 'Sajag Raho' Alongside the BJP’s official campaign, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) also launched its own initiative, “Sajag Raho” (Be Vigilant, Be Awake), in Maharashtra. This campaign aimed to strengthen the message of national unity promoted by the BJP and stressed the importance of removing caste divisions among Hindus.
The RSS also emphasized the need for awareness about the alleged dangers posed by divisive forces, paralleling the BJP’s broader narrative. Shifting Dynamics of Indian Election Campaigns The prominence of slogans in the Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections underscores a broader trend in Indian electoral politics. While issues like employment, healthcare, and infrastructure remain significant, campaigns have increasingly turned to slogans that appeal to specific regional, caste, and identity-based concerns.
This marks a shift away from the traditional focus on basic services like "sadak, bijli, pani" (roads, electricity, and water) towards more divisive or unity-oriented rhetoric. This shift can be seen as part of a larger trend in Indian elections over the last two decades. Earlier slogans like “India Shining” (2004), “Bharat Nirman” (2009), and “Ab Ki Baar, Modi Sarkar” (2014) focused on development and governance.
In 2019, slogans like “Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar” and “Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi” helped solidify Modi’s personal brand. In 2024, the slogan “Khatakhat Khatakhat” is poised to take center stage in the upcoming general elections. The Power of Slogans in Shaping Voter Sentiment As the elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand draw closer, the battle of slogans has come to define the campaign strategies of both the BJP and Congress.
While the BJP has focused on unity and national security, Congress has countered with messages of resistance to fear and division. With both parties using slogans to connect with voters on regional and caste issues, the role of such catchphrases in modern Indian elections has become more pronounced than ever. The outcome of these elections could well determine the future trajectory of slogan-driven political campaigns in the country.
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