K.S. Eshwarappa, senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister, has demanded that an all-party meeting be convened to discuss the problems facing the farmers in the State.
Mr. Eshwarappa, who came to participate in a district-level party workers workshop organised in Hospet in view of the Lok Sabha elections, was responding to questions by presspersons here on Sunday.
“The problems facing the farmers are aplenty. Sugarcane growers are in dire straits with the factories not ready to accept the directions of the State government with regard to procurement price. Arecanut and coconut growers too have been facing problems; pepper and maize crops have suffered damage. Such being the situation, it was essential for the government to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the plight of farmers and arrange to get assistance from the Union government,” he said.
He was of the view that the government, during an all-party meeting, could take note of the steps adopted by sugar factories in other States and find a solution to the problem facing the sector, he said.
Mr. Eshwarappa, answering a question, said that the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa had not imposed any condition on the BJP as far as his rejoining the party is concerned.
“Mr. Yeddyurappa has agreed to join the party to see Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi becoming Prime Minister and he has not imposed any condition,” Mr. Eshwarappa said.
He said that the senior party leaders in the State have unanimously decided to bring Mr. Yeddyurappa and B. Sriramulu, president of BSR Congress, back to the party.
They have briefed the party leaders at the national level about the need for this move and are now awaiting their decision, he said.
According to him, the split in the BJP had helped the Congress come to power and bringing back Mr. Yeddyurappa and Mr. Sriramulu to the party was necessary to strengthen the organisation and win more number of seats in the elections to the Lok Sabha.
Mr. Eshwarappa said that as part of strengthening the party’s base, a district-level leaders’ workshop was being organised. People are inclined to having a change at the national level and make Mr. Modi the Prime Minister, he said.
