BHUBANESWAR: With agrarian crisis emerging as a major political issue and promise of farm loan waiver paying rich dividends for the Congress in the Assembly elections to three Hindi heartland states, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPPC) on Wednesday reiterated its commitment to take similar steps if voted to power in the State in 2019 Assembly election.
“Congress will waive all farm loans and extend financial assistance to farmers in the State for five years if the party comes to power in 2019,” said OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik after the first meeting of the party’s poll manifesto committee here. Waiving loans will not solve all the problems of farmers. Hence, the party has decided to provide solar pumps to farmers for irrigation and financial assistance for five years, Niranjan said.
Accusing Naveen Patnaik Government of ignoring farming community for a long time, Niranjan said, “Farmers issue is the single most factor for BJP’s defeat in the recent elections and the BJD Government will face the same fate.”
Describing the BJD and the BJP as two sides of the same coin, Niranjan said neither the State nor the Centre is worried about the welfare of farmers. The two parties have failed to keep their promises made to them in their poll manifestoes.
People of Chhattishgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have shown the door to the BJP as the Prime Minister has failed to keep his promise. Niranjan also said the monthly old-age pension will be increased from Rs 300 to Rs 1,000 if it comes to power.
Asserting that poll results of the five States will be reflected in the ensuing elections to Odisha Assembly and Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra said the Chief Minister has admitted that the crisis in the farm sector has influenced elections outcome to a great extent. If it is true, the anti-farmer policy of the BJD will spell doom for the ruling party.