A dramatic political clash is unfolding in the heart of Maharashtra’s sugar belt. Amidst a fierce struggle between the BJP-led alliance and the coalition of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray), NCP (Sharad Pawar), and Congress, a defiant figure emerges: farmer leader Raju Shetti. Taking a bold stand, Shetti is challenging both political behemoths as he contests the Hatkanangle Lok Sabha constituency in Kolhapur district. His mission? To breathe new life into the faltering farmers’ movement and carve a fresh narrative in Maharashtra’s tumultuous political arena.

The once powerful farmer movements of Maharashtra, which played a significant role in shaping state politics, are now shadows of their former selves, splintered and silenced in the wake of political manoeuvres. Central to this decline is the BJP’s strategy of co-opting key farmer leaders, offering them a taste of power before strategically diminishing their influence, thereby weakening the grassroots structures that once propelled them.

The prominent Shetkari Sanghatana, founded by late Sharad Joshi and once a vocal advocate for farmers’ rights, fractured into factions under the strain of political alliances when Joshi accepted a Rajya Sabha seat from the BJP. Today, its political arm, the Swatantra Bharat Party, barely registers in the state’s political spectrum.

Political Alignments

Against a backdrop of deepening divisions, the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, a splinter group, strives to maintain its significance within the sugar-rich belt of the region. Its leader, Raju Shetti, holds firm in his belief that the political interests of farmers can be safeguarded independently, without aligning with any major grouping. As a solitary figure in a movement that once echoed powerfully across Maharashtra, Shetti is convinced that revitalising the farmers’ movement is the only path to rescuing them from the ongoing agricultural crisis.

Twice elected as MP from Hatkanangle, Shetti, following in the footsteps of his mentor Sharad Joshi, initially aligned with the BJP before severing ties in 2017. The BJP, however, fragmented his organisation, promoting Shetti’s confidant Sada Khot as a farmer leader and securing him a position in the State cabinet. Today, Khot has turned into a staunch critic of Shetti and is actively campaigning for Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) candidate Dhairyasheel Mane in Hatkanangle. After his split with the BJP, Shetti briefly engaged with Sharad Pawar’s NCP, only to ultimately reaffirm his commitment to pursuing an independent political path.

Missing Voices

Despite Maharashtra’s ongoing agrarian crisis, which remains a leading cause of farmer suicides, farmers lament the absence of a state-wide organisation actively engaged in electoral politics to champion their concerns. According to farmer-entrepreneur Prashant Pawar, while political parties have farmers’ wings, these entities often align with their parent parties’ agendas, leaving a void in independent representation for farmers. This gap was evident during recent farmer protests against farm laws in Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana, where Maharashtra farmers felt uninformed and disconnected from the national movement.

“Agriculture is a critical sector with immense potential for generating employment through sound economic policies. However, there is a notable lack of interest in this area,” says Shetti. “Major political parties have demonstrated significant indifference towards farmers and agriculture. Therefore, we must raise our own voices to address these issues,” he adds.

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