Abstract:

This paper critically examines the portrayal of women as a significant electoral group in West Bengal, placing the discussion within wider conversations about gendered citizenship, clientelism, and democratic participation. In the political context following 2011, characterised by the strengthening of the All India Trinamool Congress and the rising competition from the Bharatiya Janata Party, female voters have become a crucial focal point of electoral rivalry. The research explores how gender-specific welfare policies, political communications, and grassroots organising efforts transform the dynamics between the state and its citizens, influencing electoral behaviour trends. Advancing beyond simplistic views of “vote bank politics,” this paper utilises a mixed-methods strategy integrating constituency-level electoral data, policy evaluation, and qualitative research to evaluate whether such mobilisation leads to genuine political empowerment or reinforces emerging forms of dependency and mediated political engagement. Drawing upon feminist political theory and existing literature on patron-client dynamics, the analysis highlights the relationship between welfare systems and political identity. It posits that women in West Bengal are not only passive beneficiaries of state support but are increasingly active participants who negotiate, reinterpret and occasionally challenge prevailing political narratives. By exploring the gendered dynamics of electoral mobilisation, the paper enhances the understanding of democratic advancement, political agency and the evolution of electoral politics in modern India.

Keywords:

Gendered Participation, Electoral Mobilization, Political Agency, Welfare Politics, Clientelism, Voting Behaviour.

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Methods