In fact, the first signal that a waiver was in the works came when Sonia spent over two hours with farmers from Rajasthan, Haryana, and Maharashtra led by Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot, Deepender Hooda, Prabha Rau and Mukul Wasnik at her residence a week before the Budget. A farmer delegation from Punjab met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia on the first day of Budget session.

And the PMO issued a press release attacking the Akali Dal, which had planned a farmers rally in the capital the next day: “Akali Dal is taking out rallies, organizing public gatherings to convey that the UPA government is not protecting the Punjab farmers... The rights and interests of the people of Punjab are safe in the hands of the UPA government.”

While the exact details of the loan waiver package were not known, word of mouth had clearly spread after Chidambaram met party leaders at the AICC office over the Budget. The party also widely publicised the fact that Rahul Gandhi led MPs’ delegations to press for the loan waiver and extension of the job guarantee scheme to all districts.

Punjab Congress chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal personally rang up newspaper offices to request “good media coverage” to a delegation led by her that was scheduled to meet the Prime Minister and Sonia in New Delhi on February 23. Her reasoning: A “major” announcement for farmers was in the offing, credit for which should go to the Congress. And this, almost a week before the Budget.

... contd.