All the political parties believe that the farmers, who constitute about 80 per cent of the total population in the country, will decide the future course of politics.

As a result, the parties are busy mobilising support and cadre base to take to the streets and demonstrate their solidarity with the hapless farmers.

So much so that Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and its supremo Mayawati, who had so far been avoiding any agitation politics, have now come on the streets to take up the farmers’ issue.

BSP started its pan-India agitation against the central and state governments on April 27. In UP, BSP also staged sit-in dharnas in all the 75 districts of the state to protest against a horde of issues, — particularly, the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill, the neglect of farmers whose crops were destroyed in the wake of unseasonal rain, as well as the alleged longstanding deterioration in law and order situation in the state.

BSP supremo Mayawati told the media that the agitation was organised to expose anti-people policies being pursued by the Modi government.

Charging the Modi government of being pro-capitalist, Mayawati said that her government in UP had brought land acquisition policy in 2011 which was pro-farmer and some of its features had been included in the Land Acquisition Act of the UPA government.

On the other hand, the UP Congress has now received fresh lease of life through the timely intervention by a rejuvenated Rahul Gandhi, who has been rallying behind the rain-wrought farmers, while fiercely criticising the central government on its pro-corporate slant to Land Acquisition Bill and far inadequate compensation for farmers.

The Congress Party held a top-level meeting of its senior leaders attended by in-charge Madusudhan Mistri and UPCC president Nirmal Khatri, and subsequently decided to hold block-level demonstration against NDA’s Land Acquisition Bill and inadequate compensation to farmers by the Akhilesh Yadav government. Khatri said that the block-level demonstration will take on May 12 and Rahul Gandhi could take part in it.

Senior leaders of Congress feel that the possible participation of Rahul Gandhi and demonstration on the raging issues of the day could help enthuse party workers at the grass-root level.

Ruling Samajwadi Party is also busy mobilising its grass-root workers and senior leaders for Mission 2017 and CM Akhilesh Yadav has decided to remain in contact with all party leaders, especially the youth. Yadav is attending the party meetings very seriously and making dedicated attempts to fix any communication gap with the party leaders and workers.

During his interaction with office-bearers of the frontal organisations of party, CM Yadav has been asking them to spread the message of good work done by the state government during last three years.

National president and veteran leader of Samajwadi Party, Mulayam Singh Yadav, has also shown concern over the media and other reports on involvement of party leaders and workers in land grabbing and other crimes. Mulayam had been saying that he was very upset that his party workers were creating embarrassing situations for him. The father-son duo wants party workers should spread the message of good work done by the government over receiving compensation and its staunch opposition to land acquisition policy.

After the stupendous success in Lok Sabha polls of 2014, the BJP in Uttar Pradesh was thinking of sweeping the state in 2017 assembly elections as well following Modi wave which gave party 73 out of 80 UP parliamentary seats in the lower house.

But due to sharp decline in popularity of PM Modi all over the country in general and UP in particular, the rank and file of BJP is demoralised.

Especially after placing of the land acquisition bill in the Centre, BJP leaders in the state are speechless and worried over the future of Mission 2017.

At a time when Modi government will complete one year in office, majority of MPs have nothing to show in their constituencies and are afraid to face the electorates.

BJP leaders are not sure whether party would pursue the development agenda or Hindutva as demonstrated through repeated hateful statements by senior leaders like Yogi Adityanath, Sakshi Maharaj and others.

It is now official that Countdown 2017 has begun for all the major political parties, which are ready to take up the challenge and plunge into the battle mode with full strength. (IPA Service)