The Bharatiya Janata Party, under fire over three farm laws brought in by the Union government and two amendments to farm-related laws enacted by the State government, is apprehensive that this may impact its performance in the upcoming gram panchayat polls. At the State party office-bearer’s meet here on Sunday, the party decided to launch a State-wide outreach programme.
BJP State president Nalin Kumar Kateel called upon party workers to go to farmers and convince them of the benefits of the farm laws. “It is the BJP that has brought pro-farmer schemes like PM Kisan Samman Yojana and Fasal Bima Yojana. Our Chief Minister is a farmer’s leader credited with presenting the first ever agriculture budget. We need to talk to farmers and convince them not to fall for propaganda by the Opposition that has been trying to paint us as anti-farmer,” he said. He also pointed out that the open letter to farmers by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar presented a coherent and convincing argument of the benefits of the farm laws. “We need to convince the farmers of the points raised in the letter,” he said.
Farmer’s day
Meanwhile, BJP has decided to celebrate December 25, the birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as farmer’s day this year. “We will organise farmer’s meets in every hobli of the State. It is a national programme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release an instalment of ₹2,000 as part of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Yojana to nine crore farmers and address farmers of the country that day,” said Arvind Limbavali, vice-president, BJP, Karnataka.
Mr. Kateel expressed confidence that BJP will win nearly 80% of all gram panchayat seats in the State. “A majority of those who have already won unopposed are those supported by BJP, which is a good indicator of the mood in the State,” he said.
Meanwhile, the State unit of the party has already begun preparations for the politically significant taluk and zilla panchayat polls, expected to be held by March-April, 2021. “We need to concurrently prepare for taluk and zilla panchayat elections,” Mr. Kateel told party workers. The party will organise people’s representative meets in every district during January 8-11, where those associated with the party and have won the gram panchayat polls will be felicitated.
“But these meets will also include all members of taluk and zilla panchayats from the party in that particular district, which will create ground for the party organisation for the the upcoming polls,” said a senior BJP leader.
