Scanty rainfall may affect election results in poll-bound Bihar

NEW DELHI: If the met department's forecast of a drought year comes true that could affect the electoral harvest of those in power, be it at the Centre or in the state, in the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar

Political parties in the state have started a blame game on whether the Modi government at the Centre or the Nitish Kumar dispensation in the state is responsible for the plight of the farmers, already reeling under the impact of unseasonal hailstorms earlier this year and are now faced with the threat of scant monsoon rainfalls and crop failure. Bihar — where Assembly elections are due in September-October — has a significant population of small and marginal farmers, holdings less than two acres of land.

The Indian Meteorological Department has forecast that monsoon rains in the country will be 88% of the average instead of 93% predicted earlier. A rainfall of less than 90% of the average is considered an indicator of a drought year. The Nitish Kumar-led state government maintains that the "procorporate" Modi regime has not taken adequate steps to redress the problems of farmers.

"We will be holding day-long dharnas in every block of all districts in Bihar to demand that government increase the minimum support price for paddy as the nominal increase of Rs 50 per quintal is not enough. We are going to educate the farmers that the BJP government at the Centre has not fulfilled the promise it made in its manifesto," said KC Tyagi, a JD(U) MP.

JD(U) leaders also emphasize that a circular issued by food and public distribution minister Ram Vilas Paswan to states that they will have to bear the cost of any bonus given to farmers shows the Centre is not concerned about their rights. "Not just the Bihar government but even BJP-ruled states like Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and SAD-BJP ruled Punjab have opposed this circular," Tyagi told ET.