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.
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