Mahesh Sharma Mandi Ahmedgarh, Oct 13 Members of families of labourers are in a fix whether to go for time-bound agricultural work or appease their local leaders by participating in election campaign for the Dakha byelection. Non-political clans are more hassled as they are being approached by office-bearers and activists of all four major candidates of the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Shiromani Akali Dal and Lok Insaf Party. Contrary to the expectations of leaders, traditional gusto for the election campaign will be missing in the following days among farmers. Consistent occupation of farm labourers in harvesting of paddy and other agricultural works has been cited as the main reason behind seeming political indifference among rural masses. However, youths are expected to devote more to campaigns. Some digging showed that a majority of farmers, who had earlier been taking part in politics, have started disappointing senior leaders by not accepting responsibility to organise meetings and rallies in their respective areas. With all varieties of paddy crop almost ready for harvesting, farmers are seen remaining busy in reaping and realising price of their produce. Farmers led by Baldev Singh Latala said they had decided to remain aloof from active participation in the election campaign as almost all members of their families were preoccupied in agricultural work. They said eclipsing schedule of harvesting of paddy crop, transportation of the produce to grain markets and preparation of fields for the next crop caould not give them time for the election campaign. “Though we have been taking active part in the campaign of various candidates in the past, this time we have decided to prefer work to elections,” said Baldev Singh Latala, maintaining that uncertainty about the management of paddy stubble had further compounded problems of farmers. Deep Issewal, another farmer who is also running a dairy farm, said he, like his other associates, could not afford enough time for coming true to the expectations of political leaders. “Though we will take required part in democratic process on the polling day, we cannot ignore our routine work related to agriculture and the dairy farm,” said Deep. As workers in this part of the Malwa region practice both early and late sowing varieties of paddy, farmers will remain occupied in harvesting and transporting their produce to grain markets and preparing their fields for the next crop. In case food procurement agencies fail to procure paddy on time, the situation will become more complicated for farmers.

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