Politics Insight News Without Politics
Virendra Singh Rawat
Economic Journalist
Agriculture and allied sectors contribute about 25 percent to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Uttar Pradesh, while supporting direct and indirect livelihood of 70 percent of population.
However, topics related to agriculture and farmers have taken a virtual backseat in campaigning by major political parties in run up to the UP poll, which is underway with two of the seven phases already over.
In this backdrop, the hot topics lapped up by politicos for addressing their constituency are demonetisation, law and order, minorities’ rights’ etc.
Ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) president and UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has been quite vocal in attacking BJP mascot and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly thrusting demonetisation on people and causing hardships. He has been exhorting voters to teach BJP a lesson in this poll for their miseries.
While, the CM makes references to agriculture and pronounces his pro-agro policies, he surely reserves the diatribe against Modi over demonetisation.
On the other hand, Modi has always mentioned demonetisation as a decisive and planned step to clamp down on black money and illegal economy. He has claimed that the step had only caused consternation amongst the corrupt, while the honest had no reason to worry.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) led by Mayawati has also been vociferous in firing salvos on the Modi government for demonetisation.
Interestingly, sugarcane, which supports about 5 million farmers in the state and generates economy worth over Rs 30,000 crore through sugar, ethanol, spirits, power, gur etc, is largely missing in election speeches by the political top guns.
Congress, which has sealed a pre-poll alliance with SP, had to suddenly change its strategy of not going solo in this poll, although it had initially started to rally support of farmers in the state last year to gain momentum.
