Apart from raising multilayer barricades, the BJP-JJP government in Haryana fired tear gas shells and water cannons on the farmers but still failed to restrict them from going to Delhi and raising alarm and ringing bells in the capital. The reaching of the farmers to the national capital now has come as another blow to the government formed by alliance of Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP and Dushyant Chautala–led JJP in Haryana. This comes after the alliance was defeated in the recently held Baroda by-polls. Congress candidate Indu Raj Narwal had defeated his nearest rival and BJP nominee Yogeshwar Dutt in the Baroda Assembly seat of Haryana with a margin of over 10,000 votes.

As the government of Delhi (AAP) allowed entry to farmers, Khattar ostensibly chose to move out of their path and communicated over a tweet saying-Union government is always ready for talks.

In Baroda by-polls, the main opposition political party in Haryana, Congress had focused its whole campaign around the farmers’ agitation opposing the three central farm legislations. After a humbling defeat in Baroda by-polls causing a huge shame to the BJP-JJP alliance, the stalemate and clash between police and farmers is being seen as another indication by the alliance of anger brewing in the farming community.

To the embarrassment of Khattar, the farmers have refused to even talk to him despite his assurances. Till now, during the time, the protesters marched towards Delhi, the deputy CM Chautala has remained silent. Important point from the electoral point of view is that the majority of the protesters are from the Jat community, a prominent votebank in Haryana. Another point which has been a headache for Chautala is that a substantial proportion of his party workers are from rural regions which have seen huge participation in the current farmers’ protests condensing in Delhi.

The author is a student member of Amity centre of Happiness