The BJP’s national executive on Saturday passed a resolution on agriculture, lauding the Modi government’s move to enhance minimum support prices by over one and a half times and its promise of doubling farmers’ incomes by 2022. There was no mention, however, of rising fuel prices through the day’s deliberations.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, whose government faced an agitation by farmers in Mandsaur last June leading to the death of eight protesters in police firing, moved the resolution on the first day of the executive being held in New Delhi.
“Prime Minister Modi has resolved to double farmers income by 2022. Farmers have started receiving benefits of better implementation of schemes for them. Around 99 such schemes were on our agenda, of which 18 have been rolled out already,” said Mr. Chouhan, briefing reporters.
“The enhancement of minimum support price to one and a half times got a thumping endorsement from the national executive today. ,” Mr Chauhan said.
The BJP has been trying hard for the last few years to reverse the perception that it is a party with a largely urban, upper caste base to one which is appealing to rural India and its poor.
The agriculture resolution was prepared and passed in the national executive as a part of this perception battle.
