Two of these three defeats were in Hisar’s Ukarana and Rewari’s Dharuhera (File)
New Delhi:
Haryana’s chief minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, promised on Thursday that he would give up politics if he could not guarantee farmers the minimum support price guarantee. The BJP leader, who faced protests from state farmers over their demand to repeal the center’s three controversial agricultural laws, made the remark a day after the ruling alliance lost elections to three of the five municipal corporations. from Haryana.
“We are committed to continuing the MSP (Minimum Support Price) in Haryana. Manohar Lal will give up politics if someone tries to end the MSP regime,” he was quoted as saying by ANI news agency.
Mr Khattar’s deputy, Dushyant Chautala of the JJP, made a similar remark earlier this month. “… I will work to ensure MSP for farmers as long as I am in power. I will resign from my post on the day I am unable to keep my promise,” he said.
Two of these three defeats were in Hisar’s Ukalana and Rewari’s Dharuhera – both seen as strengths of Chautala’s JJP.
BJP and its ally Janta Jannayak Party (JJP) also lost mayoral races in Sonipat and Ambala on Wednesday.
Reacting to the defeat, Ambala BJP MP Aseem Goel suggested that ongoing farmers’ protests at Delhi borders against the laws could have affected the results of the poll.
“When the government does a good job, everyone shakes hands to stop the government from achieving its goals. This is happening in Haryana. Their agenda is meaningless, they have no real goals. All they want is to stop the BJP. Their differences later, but first let’s approach the BJP, that’s what they think, “he said.
Farmers fear that the laws will make them susceptible to exploitation in large corporate houses, which will eliminate traditional crop markets. The center says the laws are not intended to end the existing system, but to provide farmers with better ways to sell their crops.
The center and protesting farmers held a sixth round of talks on Wednesday to break the deadlock. Union Minister for Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar later said the meeting “ended on a high note” and that there was agreement on two of the four farmers’ requests.