Farmers' Stir Widens Cracks In NDA As Allies Turn Back On BJP

The ongoing farmers' movement against agricultural laws is adding to the woes of the central government. The opposition camp, as well as own allies of BJP, are attacking Narendra Modi led government over the same issue.

Shiromani Akali Dal has already exited from ruling National Democratic Alliance and now Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) convener MP Hanuman Beniwal has threatened to part ways from BJP over contentious farm laws.

Sharing his letter addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Twitter, he has demanded the withdrawal of all three agricultural laws and raised questions over the intention of the government.

चूंकि @RLPINDIAorg एनडीए का घटक दल है परन्तु आरएलपी की ताकत किसान व जवान है इसलिए अगर इस मामले में त्वरित कार्यवाही नही की गई तो मुझे किसान हित मे एनडीए का सहयोगी दल बने रहने के विषय पर पुनर्विचार करना पड़ेगा !

— HANUMAN BENIWAL (@hanumanbeniwal) November 30, 2020

Beniwal said in another tweet: "RLP is the constituent party of NDA, but its strength is farmers and jawans, so if prompt action is not taken in this matter, then I would have to reconsider being NDA's ally in farmer interests!"

However, the RLP is not the first NDA's ally to revolt against BJP over agricultural laws. Earlier, Shiromani Akali Dal, one of the BJP's oldest electoral allies, has also walked out from NDA at the end of September. It is believed that after the warning of prominent Jat leader Hanuman Beniwal, the pressure to quit NDA has mounted on another BJP ally and Jat leader Dushyant Chautala, who is part of Manohar Lal Khattar led Haryana government.

Apart from this, almost all parties including the Congress are in support of the farmers and the BJP seems to be politically isolated on the issue of farm laws. While one Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has been consistently vocal on the issue of farmers, former party president Rahul Gandhi is also leading the charge against Modi govt on Twitter.

The farmers are receiving strong support from left parties as their cadres are actively involved in this movement. In fact, many farmer organizations associated with leftist parties are also among the organizers of this movement. The party in power in national capital, Aam Aadmi Party, has already pledged its support to the farmers.
Big regional players like Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal are also with the farmers. Many other regional parties and outfits are also standing in solidarity with farmers, ideally pushing BJP to the wall on this issue.