Ex-MLA Kadu to meet CM Fadnavis on farmers' issues; Jarange extends support to protest

Nagpur, Oct 30 (PTI) Former MLA Bachchu Kadu, who is leading a massive protest for farm loan waiver, on Thursday said he will meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai later in the evening and is hopeful of a good decision.

The Prahar Janshakti Party leader also said that a decision on the future course of their agitation will also be taken after the meeting.

The tractor march of farmers began on Monday from Chandurbazar in Amravati district and halted at Wardha before arriving in Nagpur on Tuesday evening.

Fadnavis had asked Kadu and other farmer agitation leaders to come to Mumbai for discussions over their demands, instead of holding protests that inconvenience the public and may be exploited by "vested interests".

Speaking to a regional news channel on Thursday, Kadu said he, along with other farmer leaders, will be meeting CM Fadnavis in Mumbai at 7 pm.

"The important issue is the complete loan waiver of poor farmers. I am hopeful that a good decision will come out today," the former state minister said.

A decision on the future course of the 'Maha Elgar' morcha (agitation) will be taken after the meeting with the chief minister, he added.

Kadu said he had appealed for support from various sections of society.

"We had requested support from (state cabinet minister and NCP leader) Chhagan Bhujbal, Prakash Ambedkar, (Opposition) Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and others," he said.

People from all the farmer organisations and various sections of the society made the agitation a huge success, Kadu claimed.

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, who met the protestors on Thursday, said it is the "right time for the government to help farmers".

Jarange said he had extended support to the protest and said the state government must give 100 per cent compensation for losses faced by farmers.

"It is the right time for the government to help farmers. The timing of the agitation is also correct," Jarange told reporters.

Meanwhile, police informed the Bombay High Court on Thursday that the national highway and other roads in Nagpur, where Kadu and his supporters were agitating for a farm loan waiver, have been cleared of the protesters.

The HC then directed all authorities to take steps in advance to ensure there is no further disturbance to the road or rail transport.

The HC's Nagpur bench gave the directive after the police informed that former Maharashtra minister Kadu and his supporters were planning a 'rail roko' agitation, if their talks with the state government failed.

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the protesters, who had blocked National Highway 44 near Nagpur city, to leave the site. Later, state ministers Pankaj Bhoyar and Ashish Jaiswal also held discussions with the protesters on behalf of the government.

Kadu on Wednesday evening said they will vacate the national highway and move to a nearby ground, and he will decide the future course of action after meeting CM Fadnavis on Thursday. PTI CLS GK BNM