BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi at an election campaign rally in Saharsa
Seeking to woo farmers,
Narendra Modi has promised that minimum support price of crop will be fixed to ensure 50 per cent profit for them if the national alliance his party, the BJP, leads comes to power.
Mr Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, was in Punjab today answering an SOS from his party's alliance in the state with a five-rally blitzkrieg.
Apart from his usual blistering attack on the Congress' Gandhi family, Mr Modi also said in Pathankot, his first stop in Punjab, a leading agrarian state, "If the NDA comes to power it will ensure remunerative prices to the farmers...We will fix the MSP (Minimum Support Price) of crops incorporating 50 per cent profit in farmers cost of production including seed, irrigation, manure, labour."
No one, he promised, would be "allowed to loot farmers." He lamented the hardships they were facing and accused the ruling Congress-led UPA government at the Centre of insufficient hikes in crop MSP during its tenure.
He also sought to turn the Congress' attack on the Akali Dal-BJP government in the state over the issue of drugs on its head. Mr Modi blamed the Centre for not guarding the borders well enough and allowing the smuggling of drugs.
The Congress and the BJP-Akali Dal are seen as neck-and-neck in the state, both battling anti-incumbency sentiments. The Congress- led UPA from its 10 years of rule at the Centre and the Akali alliance from its seven years of ruling Punjab. (
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The latter has the more tough battle, say observers, and it is now banking on what it calls the "Modi wave."
Mr Modi attempted to leverage that by also making an emotive appeal at his Ludhiana rally. He talked about his five years as the BJP's Punjab unit in charge just before he was became the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
"When I used to come to Ludhiana, I visited Gujarati families here for food. Maine Punjab ka namak khaya hai, (I have tasted the salt of Punjab)" Mr Modi said. He drew big crowds at all five rallies.
The 13 constituencies in Punjab vote on April 30.