Farmers may act as common ground for NCP, Congress and Sena’s Maharashtra govt plan

If the parties indeed come together to form the next government in Maharashtra, their common minimum programme will have farm loan waiver as well as various agrarian sops such as a possible crop price differentiation payment scheme on the lines of Madhya Pradesh’s Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana or direct cash transfer to weaker farmers.

The unusual coalition of the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Shiv Sena, which is taking shape in Maharashtra, is likely to find a common ground in farmer-centric vision for the state and tackling the issue of unemployment.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar along with other party leaders outside Vidhan Bhavan, Nariman Point in Mumbai, on Wednesday, November 13, 2019. (Kunal Patil/HT Photo)

If the parties indeed come together to form the next government, their common minimum programme will have farm loan waiver as well as various agrarian sops such as a possible crop price differentiation payment scheme on the lines of Madhya Pradesh’s Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana or direct cash transfer to weaker farmers.

All three parties, in the previous tenure of the BJP-led government, had led state-wide movements over agrarian distress, failure of crop insurance scheme, droughts, unseasonal rain and pest attacks. The state also witnessed several farmers’ protests and these parties believe rural distress is at the heart of the anti-incumbency against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

While the Congress-NCP have promised loan waiver, better crop prices in its election manifesto ahead of the Assembly polls; the Sena had promised a direct cash transfer of ₹10,000 to weaker farmers, debt-free farms and keeping prices of fertilisers and seeds constant for five years.

“The focus of the common minimum programme will be farmers. The timing is right because of the widespread losses due to unseasonal rain. We share several commonalities with the Sena if one looks at our election manifestos. The committee will be set up to avoid the areas where we differ greatly, especially on ideology,” said a senior Congress leader, who did not want to be named.

He said if the Congress can tie up with the Muslim League in Kerala, there was no reason why they could not tie up with Sena in Maharashtra. “We will definitely announce a blanket farm loan waiver. The focus will be on farmers, agriculture workers and revitalising rural economy, which was ignored by this government,” said Kishore Tiwari, Vidarbha-based farm activist and Sena leader.

The parties will also come together over the Congress-NCP’s promise to reserve 80% of the jobs for locals in state’s industries. While such a provision exists in the state and was first insisted on by Sena through its sons-of-the-soil policy, the allies, in their election manifesto, have promised to bring in a separate legislation to implement the policy for domiciled citizens. They are also looking at measures to generate employment in the state, considering the issue is a concern among youths.

The three parties had also opposed the felling of trees at Aarey and the Sena may insist on declaring Aarey a forest as part of its promise made to Mumbaiites. Fast-tracking of the Chhatrapati Shivaji and Dr Ambedkar memorials will also find a mention in their common programme.

“The common minimum programme will also focus on regional issues and Marathi pride. We are forming a stable government as against being ruled from Delhi. We also realise that we can’t only woo the minorities. Even the Congress has changed its track on say the Ayodhya temple and the Sena is not targeting the minorities or North Indians,” said an NCP leader, who did not want to be named.

Political analysts say that while the three parties can come together on the plank of agrarian distress, delivering on promises such as farm loan waiver will be problematic. “This coalition can come together on common ground, but farm loan waiver will not be easy to implement. It will cut into the government’s development funds for various other projects. The Sena, which is primarily an urban party, may face repercussions. And, there is a likelihood of the parties pulling in three different directions,” said political analyst Hemant Desai.