- Congress plans a statewide Kisan Yatra in UP starting September 7 from Muzaffarnagar
- The campaign focuses on farmers' issues like fair crop prices, MSP, and unpaid sugarcane dues
- The Congress will hold Kisan Chaupals to engage farmers directly in villages and districts
Political activity in Uttar Pradesh has intensified ahead of next year's assembly elections. Seeking to stage a political comeback, the Congress has decided to reach out directly to the demographic that plays a crucial role in shifting electoral outcomes. The party is set to launch a major drive to connect with farmers across Uttar Pradesh, aiming to reclaim its lost political ground through a statewide "Kisan Yatra".
According to Congress sources, the party's farmers' wing is preparing to launch the rally on September 7 from Muzaffarnagar in Western Uttar Pradesh. The rally will span the state all the way from its western part to Purvanchal.
Why is 'Kisan Yatra' Significant?
The Congress recognises that the road to power in Uttar Pradesh runs through its farmlands. Through this campaign, the party is focusing on uniting farmers and turning their pressing concerns into a national debate. By taking to the streets, the Congress aims to mobilise the agricultural community while cornering the incumbent government on core issues affecting everyday farmers.
This list will include:
Fair Crop Prices and MSP Guarantee: This will address growing farmer discontent regarding unfair crop prices and the demand for a guaranteed Minimum Support Price.
Pending Sugarcane Payments: Highlighting the long-standing grievance of Western UP sugarcane farmers over unpaid dues held by sugar mills.
Inflation and Rising Input Costs: Protesting the escalating costs of farming driven by higher prices for DAP fertilizer, seeds, pesticides, and electricity.
Stray Cattle Menace: Raising concern over stray cattle destroying crops across the state, which forces farmers to guard their fields day and night. They will also directly oppose the Central and state policies that the party labels as anti-farmer.
Congress's Strategy to Corner the Central and the state governments
The primary objective of the campaign extends beyond standard protests. It represents a targeted effort to politically corner the ruling BJP. The Congress plans to hold Kisan Chaupals across different villages, districts, and cities.
Party sources indicate that the Congress leaders will directly visit farmers at fields and village squares to hear their grievances first-hand.
Through this public outreach, the party's farmer unit aims to strengthen its cadre at the grassroots level and rebuild its organisational base in the state.
Having struggled to maintain a strong presence in Uttar Pradesh over recent decades, the Congress is attempting to rally voters around both Dalit and farmer issues to challenge the Yogi Adityanath-led government ahead of the elections.
The immediate goal is to place agrarian issues at the centre of the political discourse and apply pressure on the ruling party before full-scale election campaigning begins.
