BJP, Opposition seek to rally support as farm bills reach Rajya Sabha

Rajya Sabha is likely to take up contentious farm bills on Sunday with Congress and many opposition parties trying to put a united front to oppose se proposed legislations terming m as anti-farmer and pro-corporate, even as ruling BJP is also reaching out to several regional outfits for support. numbers, however, appear to be in favour of ruling dispensation to get se bills passed from Rajya Sabha, while lower house has already cleared m despite a key NDA member Shiromani Akali Dal vehemently opposing m.

Some key BJP leaders are said to be in touch with various n-Congress opposition parties to seek support from ir Rajya Sabha members for se bills.While BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is yet to have a clear majority of its own in 245-member Rajya Sabha, many regional parties have backed it for last several sessions to ensure pass of various legislations proposed by government.

BJP leaders expressed confidence that y will get support of over 130 members, including nine of AIADMK and six of YSR Congress -- both of whom are t part of ruling alliance if a division of votes is sought on se bills. Ar regional party, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) was also being wooed by BJP, but its chief and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday asked his party MPs to vote against se bills, alleging se would cause great injustice to farmers in country.

BJP itself has highest tally with 86 seats, followed by 40 of Congress.

three members of SAD are sure to vote against bills, but Shiv Sena, a former BJP ally and w in opposition, has expressed it support for se bills. Maharashtra party has three members in Rajya Sabha.

Several or regional parties, including three-member Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party with eight seats, and BSP with four, have joined opposition's ranks in protest against se bills but it may t prove eugh to hinder ir pass.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's forceful defence of three bills and blistering criticism of Opposition for protesting against m on Thursday made it clear that he remains unfazed by opposition and that his government will press on to get Parliament's d for se measures aimed at opening private avenues for farmers to sell ir produce.

His assertion came amid Congress and several or parties besides SAD coming out strongly against se bills, calling m "anti-farmers".

Farmers in states like Punjab and Haryana have been protesting against se proposed laws which, ir leaders allege, will end up dismantling existing government-backed support system y have.    A number count of parties that have come out against se draft legislations suggests that re are as of w nearly 100 MPs opposing m. re is clarity about stand of some small parties which have around a dozen members put toger.

Since Modi government assumed office for its second time in 2019, its rivals have t been able to scuttle any of its major bills due to a rise in ranks of treasury benches and a corresponding fall in opposition ranks.

Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill were passed by Lok Sabha on Thursday, while Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill was passed on Tuesday.

se bills seek to replace ordinances already promulgated by government.

 With opposition parties dubbing three bills as "anti-farmers" and SAD quitting his government to protest m, Modi refuted ir criticism, describing se proposed laws as "historic" and stating that y will unshackle farmers by allowing m to sell ir produce anywhere at a better price.

A day after resigning from Union Cabinet, senior SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal said she feels "saddened" that her voice in support of farmers was t heard and demanded that government should pause on se legislations by referring m to a parliamentary panel for wider consultations.

  government has presented se bills as pro-farmers, saying se will ensure that farmers get better prices for ir produce and do t get subjected to regulations of 'mandis'.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had said on Thursday in Lok Sabha that farmers will be free to sell ir produce to anyone and se bills will increase competition and promote private investment, which will help in development of farm infrastructure and generate employment.

However, opposition parties have slammed bills as "anti-farmers", claiming that agriculture sector will be left to fate of corporate interests. Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal also appealed to all n-BJP parties to unite in Rajya Sabha and oppose three bills that he claimed would leave farmers in hands of big companies for exploitation.