Prime Minister Narendra Modi with BJP president Amit Shah. (Press Trust of India photo)
New Delhi:
The BJP is on major course correction after two big setbacks in the Delhi and Bihar state elections and the embarrassment of having to defend leaders involved in controversies.
Starting February 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a slew of rallies focused on farmers across states, in a strategic shift after rural voters in Bihar abandoned the BJP.
Rival parties succeeding in projecting the BJP as a party of the rich and corporates are attacking the Modi government over its big reform move, the land acquisition bill, which the opposition dubbed anti-farmer.
"Farm vote is the BJP's new focus. Our government has initiated several measures to revive the farm sector. Now the attempt is to shed the tag that we are not pro-farmer," a senior BJP leader said.
In the first phase the PM will visit Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.
At a meeting last week with his team of ministers, PM Modi had reviewed the implementation of policy decisions taken for the farm sector. He stressed the need to take the government's initiatives like the new crop insurance policy, AGRI markets and Krishi Vigyan Kendras to farmers
The focus of this year's Union Budget on February 29 will also be on the farm sector. The PM and Finance Minister have indicated that more reforms like crop insurance to ease the distress of farmers will be announced.
The Prime Minister has also recently met members of organisations affiliated to the BJP. He asked leaders of these organisations and the BJP to "stay away from controversies such as a Hyderabad scholar's suicide and the Dadri killing," a BJP leader said.
In Rohith Vemula's suicide last month the party has faced demands for the sacking of two central ministers accused of pressuring the Hyderabad university to punish the student.
After the lynching of a Muslim man over beef rumours in Haryana's Dadri last year, BJP ministers and leaders had made controversial comments.
The PM has also asked those active on social media to refrain from posting comments that breach the party line.
Starting February 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a slew of rallies focused on farmers across states, in a strategic shift after rural voters in Bihar abandoned the BJP.
Rival parties succeeding in projecting the BJP as a party of the rich and corporates are attacking the Modi government over its big reform move, the land acquisition bill, which the opposition dubbed anti-farmer.
"Farm vote is the BJP's new focus. Our government has initiated several measures to revive the farm sector. Now the attempt is to shed the tag that we are not pro-farmer," a senior BJP leader said.
In the first phase the PM will visit Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.
At a meeting last week with his team of ministers, PM Modi had reviewed the implementation of policy decisions taken for the farm sector. He stressed the need to take the government's initiatives like the new crop insurance policy, AGRI markets and Krishi Vigyan Kendras to farmers
The focus of this year's Union Budget on February 29 will also be on the farm sector. The PM and Finance Minister have indicated that more reforms like crop insurance to ease the distress of farmers will be announced.
The Prime Minister has also recently met members of organisations affiliated to the BJP. He asked leaders of these organisations and the BJP to "stay away from controversies such as a Hyderabad scholar's suicide and the Dadri killing," a BJP leader said.
In Rohith Vemula's suicide last month the party has faced demands for the sacking of two central ministers accused of pressuring the Hyderabad university to punish the student.
After the lynching of a Muslim man over beef rumours in Haryana's Dadri last year, BJP ministers and leaders had made controversial comments.
The PM has also asked those active on social media to refrain from posting comments that breach the party line.
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