The Mahayuti alliance appeared headed for a sweeping victory in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections on Saturday afternoon, crossing the majority mark and leading in over 200 seats. Following the setback in the general elections, Ajit Pawar gained significant attention on social media with his distinctive pink jacket and pink-themed campaign, which was seen as an effort to appeal to female voters. After the trends indicated a landslide win for his party, Ajit Pawar tweeted "Maharashtra Chooses Pink" on his account on X, alongside his campaign team.
The strategic shift was orchestrated by Design Boxed, a political consulting firm led by Naresh Arora, who has previously worked with Congress leaders DK Shivakumar and Ashok Gehlot. Ajit Pawar, the NCP chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, enlisted Design Boxed to revamp his campaign ahead of the state elections. Sources revealed that Naresh Arora advised Pawar to adopt a more approachable, positive image to connect better with the electorate. Until the NCP split, Pawar was known for his robust ties with party cadres and elected representatives. However, the rebranding aimed to make him more relatable to voters.
One of the key recommendations was the adoption of pink as a campaign color to distinguish the Ajit Pawar-led NCP from other parties—Shiv Sena's orange, BJP's saffron, Sharad Pawar’s NCP white, and Congress's white. Pink, a fresh and neutral color in Indian politics, carries no ideological associations, unlike saffron symbolizing right-wing politics or blue representing Dalit politics. Ajit Pawar has also ramped up his social media presence, with his videos garnering significant attention. He has actively toured his areas of influence across Maharashtra, reinforcing his campaign’s visibility and outreach.
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