CHANDRAPUR: Crop failure, poor support price, crop-loan burden and reluctance of people representatives towards farmer ’s woes have waft out the charm of ‘acche din’ slogan given by the BJP ahead of polls. Disillusioned with the promises of the BJP government at Centre and the state, more than 1,000 farmers from at least 35 villages in Rajura tehsil have sought permission for self immolation from chief minister Devendra Fadanvis .

“All major parties in state have lured us with false promises for votes. Just like the previous Congress-NCP government, the BJP-Sena government too has failed to address our woes. Despite being aware of crop failure following poor and scanty rainfall, the government has mocked farmers with a mere hike of Rs50 in support price of cotton and soyabean,” said farmer Namdoerao Gaurkar from village Pellora.

He claimed BJP MLAs had stranded the functioning of assembly house several times seeking support price of Rs6,000 for Soyabean and Rs 5,000 for Cotton while in opposition. “They lured the farmers with the false promises of awarding good support price during the recent elections. Farmers fell for this ‘acche din’ slogan and voted BJP to power at the Center and State. However, BJP government has been big a disappointment to farmers,” Gaurkar said.

He was accompanied by over a dozen farmers from different villages. They voiced the demand for support price of Rs6,000 per quintal for cotton, Rs5,000 for soyabean, Rs3,000 for wheat, Rs5,000 for tur and Rs4,000 per quintal for chana and sought waiver of crop loan and electricity bills of agricultural pumps.

Farmers claimed that they are disenchanted with the political leadership both in power and in opposition and would take up agitation on their own. They sought the permission for self immolation if their demands are not met during the first week of winter session of the assembly.

