Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has extended support to the protests of the farmers who have seized New Delhi. He said that the TRS would support the Bharat Bandh called by farmers’ organizations on December 8. He also said that the TRS cadre would make the bandh a huge success. With the ruling party supporting the bandh, it appears the strike would be successful in the State.
It was Telugu Desam Party president Chandrababu Naidu who was the first one from the Telugu States to talk on the three Agriculture Acts brought by the Centre. The Congress party is opposing the bill right from the beginning, now the political parties from Telugu states are speaking on the bill. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said that the Centre should take decisions which are acceptable for all the sections. However, he did not specify whether he would support the Bharat bandh or not. In the meantime, CM KCR has announced that his party leaders would enforce the bandh.
KCR has backed the farmers who are demanding the withdrawal of the three Agricultural Acts introduced by the Centre, adding that it is justified and the protests need to continue till the Acts are withdrawn. It is a fact that Chief Minister KCR decided to oppose the Centre post the defeat in Dubbaka, and the strong competition from the BJP in the recent GHMC polls. Earlier, there was no response from the TRS even as the farmers began their protest from the last eleven days.
The YCP government calls itself a farmer-friendly government. However, it has not opened up on the protests of farmers. The YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy wants to have cordial relations with the BJP led government at the Centre and he is not daring to talk against BJP. There are criticisms that he is not uttering a word against the Agriculture Acts or on behalf of the farmers. While Telugu Desam chief Chandrababu Naidu has been demanding MSP guarantee for farmers.
There has been no significant response from the southern states on the three Agriculture Acts. The reason for this is there are more small and regional farmers in these states. It has to be noticed that whatever be the reasons CM KCR has decided to back farmers due to the BJP’s rising influence in the state.
