Calls being made to Maharashtra farmers, asked if they will vote for BJP, claims Uddhav Thackeray

Calls being made to Maharashtra farmers, asked if they will vote for the BJP, claims Uddhav Thackeray. Pic: PTI File

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Monday asked the Central government to waive crop loans of farmers and face 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a rally in Gangapur, Thackeray claimed phone calls are being made to farmers in Maharashtra and they are asked whether they will vote for the BJP in the upcoming elections, newswire PTI reported.

"I had announced a loan waiver for farmers in Maharashtra up to Rs 2 lakh when I was chief minister and also implemented it. If I can waive loans of farmers in Maharashtra, then why can't the BJP government which has been in power at the Centre for the last ten years do so? The government should grant a loan waiver and then face elections," Thackeray said.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader claimed he had a phone call recording wherein a farmer questioned the caller about the steps taken so far by the Centre to help soybean producers in the state.

"The Union government has not acted on its promise of offering a 50 per cent more price than the cost of cultivation. Modi's guarantee is making corrupt leaders MLAs and MPs once they join BJP," Thackeray alleged.

He dared members of the Shiv Sena camp led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to stand before the people and seek their view on the true inheritor of the party, founded by Bal Thackeray.

Notably, several farmer associations, mostly from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, have called for the march to Delhi on February 13 to demand a law guaranteeing MSP for their produce, one of the conditions they had set when they agreed to withdraw their agitation in 2021.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has imposed Section 144 across the national capital in view of widespread tension and "social unrest" due to the farmers' Delhi Chalo March on Tuesday. The order will be in place for a month.

The order issued by Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora on Monday prohibited any type of rally or procession and blocking of roads and passages.

Delhi Police order has imposed a ban on tractor rallies trying to cross the borders of the national capital.

Farmers from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are expected to enter Delhi during their march. (With inputs from agencies)