In U.P., BJP lays hopes on hike in sugar cane prices

Party seeks to give much-needed push in Jat heartland of State’s western part

The BJP is looking at an anticipated rise in sugar cane procurement prices, to be announced by the Uttar Pradesh government as early as this week to give it a much-needed push in the Jat heartland of western Uttar Pradesh.

Senior BJP leaders confirmed to The Hindu that a hike in cane prices (State advised price) is expected soon, and will, as hoped by the party, go a long way in assuaging any misgivings farmers in the area especially the dominant Jat community may have with regard to the BJP and farmers’ issues, despite the large ‘mahapanchayat’ held by farmers groups last week.

“Western Uttar Pradesh has nothing to do with the farm laws that were passed last year. Here the politics revolves around ‘ganna’ [sugar cane], bijli [electricity] and stray cattle. Sugar cane dues from mills, price is what makes a difference, crops here are hardly sold in ‘mandis’, we have mostly contractual farming here, and also sales through cooperatives,” said a senior BJP leader from western Uttar Pradesh.