Raju Shetti guns for land bill, says may walk out of NDA

Raju Shetti, the chief of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, strongly criticised the BJP-led governments at the Centre and the state at a party meeting on Saturday.

After the Shiv Sena, another of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s allies has slammed it for its ‘anti-farmer’ policies.

Raju Shetti, the chief of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, strongly criticised the BJP-led governments at the Centre and the state at a party meeting on Saturday. Party workers demanded the outfit snap ties with the BJP and return to its original path of struggle for the farmers. Sources said Shetti will hold discussions with his party members and announce on Sunday whether he will walk out of the NDA.

Shetti said the Modi and Fadnavis governments had not taken him into confidence while formulating policies. “We had great hopes from the government. But Maharashtra continues to face problems such as cane and cotton prices, and farmers’ suicides,” Shetti said.

Shetti’s words were cheered by his workers, who raised slogans against the government. Many of them demanded the party should walk out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) immediately. While Mahadeo Jankar, president of the Rashtriya Samaj Party, also an NDA constituent, urged them to give the government more time, his efforts went largely wasted.

Shetti, the only member of Parliament (MP) from his party, had voted against the Land Acquisition Bill. Leaders of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana have strongly condemned the bill, and even threatened an aggressive agitation against it. Social activist Anna Hazare, who has already started a protest against the bill, is expected to address the concluding session of the meeting on Sunday.