A huge farmers’ rally to be organised here on January 9, which will be addressed by party president Rahul Gandhi, will provide an opportunity to the ruling Congress in Rajasthan to cultivate the agrarian community as voters for this year’s Lok Sabha elections. Preparations were being made here to hold the rally as a mega event.
Mr. Gandhi, who took out roadshows and addressed several public meetings in the State during the Assembly election campaign, had promised that the farmers’ loans would be waived within 10 days of the government’s formation. The Congress government announced loan waiver of ₹2 lakh each as its first major decision within three days after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot assumed office on December 17.
Mr. Gehlot told reporters at the Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters here on Monday that Mr. Gandhi had been invited to the State to affirm the party’s commitment to farmers’ welfare. “We fulfilled our promise made to farmers. Preparations for Lok Sabha elections have also begun... Congress will benefit from the atmosphere building up in its favour,” he said.
Campaign for LS polls
Amid indications that the farmers’ rally at Vidyadhar Nagar Stadium here would be utilised to kick-start the Congress’ campaign for Lok Sabha polls in the State, the Ministers in charge of various districts have been given the responsibility to mobilise the party workers and farmers for attending the event. The main focus is on the Jaipur and Ajmer divisions.
Mr. Gandhi is expected to announce the modalities and criteria for implementation of the loan waiver decision at the rally. The decision, which is set to benefit over 30 lakh farmers in the State, will result in the burden of an estimated ₹18,000 crore on the exchequer, as there will be no monetary ceiling on the short-term agricultural loans obtained from the cooperative banks.
As the Congress believes that it has returned to power largely because of farmers' support, the party leaders are likely to utilise the rally for attacking the NDA government at the Centre on the issue of farmers’ welfare.
Of the three States where Congress won in the recent Assembly elections, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh announced the waiver of farmers’ short-term loans before Rajasthan.
