So what is the price they want? Farmers said they can agree for a price less than the Rs 280 demanded by them but want it to be recorded the purchase slips. “We are ready to scale down but nothing below Rs 200/quintal is acceptable,” said Uttam Kumar of Noorpur in Bijnore.

Farmers’ anger over the Congress’ silence over the issue was papable. “Rahul Gandhi is taking up a lot of issues relating to eastern UP. Why is he silent over the plight of sugarcane farmers from western UP,” questioned Mahendra Singh from Baghpat.

Politics was however the highlight of the gathering. SP’s Amar Singh coined the slogan: “Samajwadi (SP), Lokdal (RLD) ekta zindabad !!!” much to the discomfiture of Jaitley on the dias.

Basking under the unexpected support from left and right parties, Ajit Singh told the farmers to disperse for the day but warned the Centre that if the FRP ordinance was not taken back then they will block everything—water, vegetables, rail, road—reaching Delhi. “Nothing less than roll back of FRP is acceptable to us,” he declared.

BJP eyes sweet UP rewards
With Ajit Singh of the RLD—an NDA constituent—leading the charge in the Lok Sabha demanding withdrawal of the new sugarcane regime, the BJP was left to keep up the tempo outside the House. If the Uttar Pradesh-based parties were trying to use the sugarcane issue to improve their political stock, BJP leaders think it is just the opportunity for them to come back into the reckoning in the state. However, this could not stop another, interesting, turn to the rivalry among second-generation BJP leaders. With the completion of his term as BJP chief, Rajnath Singh will be concentrating on home state UP — a reason why he was among the most vocal on the issue through Thursday. On the other hand, his rival Arun Jaitley — who was instrumental in sewing up an alliance with the RLD for the Lok Sabha elections — ensured that Ajit Singh kept him, and not Rajnath, in the loop while drawing up the protest strategy.
- Suman Jha