Farmers’ agitation set to redefine parties’ poll narrative

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 29

The narrative against the central farm laws is set to drive Punjab’s political agenda in the New Year in the run-up to the Assembly elections due in March 2022.

The din of the ongoing apolitical ‘kisan andolan’, at the gates of the Capital, is getting shriller by the day. Its ripples are bound to be felt in the political arena in the coming days.

The farmers ‘andolan’ has given birth to a new political awakening. The New Year will see political parties re-strategise in the changed dynamics.

While the ruling Congress will look to remind the farmers about party’s effort in sustaining the agitation before it reached Delhi, the Akali Dal will have to re-establish itself in the rural hinterland after parting ways with its long-standing ally, the BJP. Trying to play host to the protesting farmers at the Delhi border, the AAP is trying to strike a chord with farmers.

PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar says since the party has played an important role in awakening the farmers against the farm laws, it will carry forward its campaign to get the legislations repealed, finish pending works in urban areas and fulfil the remaining poll promises.

On his part, senior Akali leader Dr Daljit Cheema says the main concern of the party will be to take along regional parties in strengthening the federal structure and involve farmers in making farming profitable.

Leader of Opposition of AAP Harpal Cheema says though the farmers’ stir remains the key issue, they will highlight in the New Year poor governance, besides failure of the Congress government in curbing illegal mining, and transport and cable mafia.

Key events: SAD, BJP part ways; scholarship scam rocks govt

• SAD makes U-turn on farm laws, snaps ties with BJP; Harsimrat Badal quits
• Union Cabinet
• Congress government brings amendments against the laws in the state Assembly
• AICC replaces party state affairs in charge Asha Kumari with Uttarakhand ex-CM Harish Rawat
• Congress chief Sonia Gandhi disbands Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee
• Senior Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa breaks away from the SAD
• Ex-minister Navjot Singh Sidhu ends self-imposed exile, attends luncheon meeting with CM amid rapprochement efforts
• Post-matric scholarship scam rocks Congress government, Opposition corners Social Welfare Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot