Good response to farmer rallies in Saurashtra brings cheer to BJP

Rajkot/Ahmedabad

Successful farmer rallies at two places in Saurashtra is good news for ruling BJP.

The rallies were organized a day after Holi and Dhuleti today. They were organized in Gondal and Dhasa. They were organized on one of the hottest days, and that too in the afternoon. The rallies were organized in Saurashtra region where BJP has not performed well last year in district and taluka panchayat elections and also in recently held nagarpalika polls. The rallies were organized in Patidar community dominated belts.

Knowing this ground very well, the party had therefore given target to its cadre to ensure proper presence.

After the results of last year’s district and taluka panchayat polls, party leadership increasingly felt that there’s a disconnect between party and its rural base. It was felt that the works done by party for farmers and rural areas are not communicated effectively.

After election of Shri Vijaybhai Rupani as new state party president, BJP announced 8 farmer rallies across the state. Each rally covers certain number of surrounding districts.

Among all these rallies, two rallies in Saurashtra region were most important, as it was increasingly felt that post-Patidar agitation party was losing plot in some parts of this particular region(for example say Amreli).

Some sort of exhibition of triumph or oiling of machinery was necessary, conveying the decisions taken by central government, and communicating the works done/being done/are to be done by the State government was also call of time. The party therefore announced farmer specific rallies.

All this, when general elections of assembly are scheduled to be held in December next year.

It is observed that the rallies are attended by more people from party cadre itself, along with portion of actual farmers or common rural people.

While rallies will serve its purpose, water supply situation in upcoming summer and proper payment of price of produce to farmers (today farmers in Bareja protested against low price of wheat crop and stopped auction at marketing yard) will play major role, so far as rural connect of BJP is concerned.

It has to be noted that in December this year elections of over 10,000 village panchayats will be held across Gujarat. While village panchayat polls are contested without party symbol, the results do impact larger politics.

As soon as the party organization will conclude its 8 farmer rallies, the state government will gear up for further rural connect. All ministers including the Chief Minister will join Lok Samwad programmes from 1st April to resolve the taluka level problems. Chief Minister herself will chair Jamnagar taluka’s Lok Samvad programme. During 14-16 April, the state government will hold social harmony programmes on anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar. During 17-20 April the government through its own machinery and also with involvement of party cadre will hold Kisan Sabha in which various kinds of forms of government schemes including new Agri Insurance scheme will be filled up in mission mode. More than 14,000 villages will see gram sabha meetings during 21-24 April. Chief Secretary has issued directives to district officers to focus on these programmes and rural connect in the month of April.

– DeshGujarat