Farmers Movement Archive

Repeal of farm laws biggest gain for BJP, setback for ruling Congress in Punjab

CHANDIGARH: Pushed to a corner due to the ongoing agitation against three contentious farm laws for the last over one year, BJP is going to be the biggest gainer from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to repeal the Acts as its leadership would at least be able to reach out to the people in its preparations for the 2022 Punjab assembly polls. Though political observers feel that despite the announcement to repeal the laws, the saffron party cannot presume that the aggrieved farmers struggling for over a year would vote for them. “It is 100% advantage BJP. It does not mean that they will form the government in Punjab but at least they can step out to campaign now,” says Panjab University’s political science professor Ashutosh Kumar. The biggest loser from the decision would be the Congress as its main electoral campaign issue was “black farm laws” and many Hindu votes, which earlier used to go to the Congress could now come to BJP’s kitty. Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma told TOI, “I don’t want to see this decision from a political point of view but it is obvious if there is a peaceful environment in the state and there is freedom of expression, it will be easy for us to convey our views.” Earlier, there used to be various hurdles not by the farmers but others in the guise of farmers, who wanted to further their political interest, he added. Asked about the possibility of again stitching an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as Akalis’ biggest demand to repeal farm laws was now addressed, Sharma replied, “I don’t think so. Because we were very clear that farm laws were good for the farmers but we could not convince some farmers and therefore we decided to repeal the laws. But the SAD knew our vision very well and despite that they chose to break the alliance due to political considerations.” He added that earlier being in alliance with the SAD, their hands were tied and they also used to “face the wrath for the incompetence of the state government by just being 17% alliance partner”. But professor Ashutosh sees there is a possibility of BJP’s post-poll alliance with SAD because of the fluid political situation in the state this time. “As of now, BJP can have an alliance with Capt Amarinder Singh or the breakaway factions of the SAD or rebel leaders of various parties on the basis of their winnability to at least establish BJP in the state being a bigger alliance partner. “That is what they have been doing in many states where they were weak like in Assam and Tripura, and BJP has formed governments there,” he added. But he says that for a workable alliance with BJP, Amarinder would have to stick to a maximum of 20 to 25 assembly seats. At the same time, professor Ashutosh warns that one should not underestimate BJP as it has many silent Hindu and urban voters in Punjab as there are nearly 49% Hindus and among them Khatris, Aroras and Baniya have been with BJP and they are hardly concerned with the farm laws.

The Times of India

2021-11-20

Chandigarh