Besides farm dole, surgical strikes too on poll agenda in hinterland

Nagpur: Last week, during a rally in Gondia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to double farmers’ income by 2022. Recently at Wardha, Congress president Rahul Gandhi assured a loan waiver scheme soon after being voted to power.
With the yearly dole of Rs72,000 announced by Gandhi making a hot topic for the polls, both Congress and BJP have been wooing farmers aggressively. If Congress is harping on loan waiver and the Rs72,000 grant, BJP is talking about the Rs6,000 payout for farmers and other schemes like Ujjwala Yojana for LPG subsidy and health care under Arogya Yojana, say sources engaged by candidates in the poll fray.

However, voters and political activists in the hinterland say BJP’s campaign continues to have its doses of propaganda on the Balakot air strikes and Pulwama attack. Sources say BJP, which is trying to touch the farmers’ cause, is also heavily relying on the surgical strikes which is expected to have an impact on the rural voters’ psyche. Despite the problems dogging the hinterland, surgical strikes cannot be discounted as a non-issue here, said sources.

Meanwhile, first-timer Vaishali Mendhe, a farm widow and an independent candidate in Yavatmal backed by MLA Bachu Kadu’s organization Prahar, said her agenda includes getting a higher price for farm produce. “There are many villages where there is no regular water supply. Farm widows need to get better compensation. Even for me it’s tough survive with the kids. We don’t even own a house,” she said.

“Congress’ leaders are saying that a special session would be held for farmers if the party comes to power. The loans would be waived too. To counter this, the BJP is relying on surgical strikes. The party’s workers are spreading a word that Congress has an anti-national agenda and is too friendly with Pakistan,” said Nitin Khadse, a farmer and Congress worker from Pandharkawda.

“Unlike the general perception, it must be understood that farmers from the remotest of the areas are keeping a tab on the Indo-Pak affairs,” said Khadse.

Raju Thakre, a cotton grower from Pandharkawda, said a number of issues are dogging the farmers. “Not more than 25% of the farmers in our area have been able to avail of the state’s farm loan waiver scheme. The Prime Minister’s crop loan scheme has not helped too, although the cotton harvest was reduced by more than half,” he said.

“There appear to be attempts to divert farmers’ attention from their own issues in the name of national security. Our group has decided to not support Congress or BJP and rather go for Navneet Rana, an independent candidate from Amravati,” said Maniklal More, a farm leader.

“In Bhandara district, Congress is talking about having a special payout for paddy growers. NCP’s Praful Patel had visited our area recently,” he said and stressed that it was during Patel’s time, big investors like BHEL and Adani Group came to Bhandara.

“The BJP leaders are reminding farmers of the Rs6000 dole and other schemes like LPG subsidy and health care. Of course, their propaganda also has a prominent mention of surgical strikes,” said Tukaram Borkar.

“It’s not that the rural voter is not connected with the national issues. The Balakot strikes may have a major impact on the sentiment,” said Sanjay Birkurwar of Bori village, which is a few kms across Maharashtra border in Telangana. “Here, if TRS is stressing about farm issues, BJP’s main agenda is the surgical strikes. It may be a tough fight between the two,” he said.

Farm activist Kishore Tiwari said his organization is still waiting for BJP to declare its agenda. He would only support BJP if his core demands related to farmers are met.

Vijay Jawandia, a veteran farm activist from Wardha, said after Balakot perhaps agriculture is the most important issue for the elections.

Party workers and onlookers also admit that ultimately other factors like caste equation would also matter. In Chandrapur, Congress is relying on the Kunbi factor as it has fielded a candidate from the caste. In Bhandara, it is expected to be a close fight as both BJP and Congress’ candidate are from the same caste, said locals.