Sitaram Yechury to meet Sharad Pawar; Bengal polls & farmers' issue on the cards: Sources

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury will meet NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday evening in New Delhi, sources told Republic Media Network. Even though this is said to be a courtesy meet, both the leaders are expected to discuss the ongoing farmers' agitation as well as the upcoming West Bengal Assembly election. 

Last week, amid the intensifying fight between the BJP and the TMC in West Bengal, Sharad Pawar joined several other opposition leaders to side with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her battle against the saffron camp and the Centre.

Pawar expresses support to Mamata

"Sharad Pawar and Mamata Banerjee share a very cordial relationship since their days in the Congress. During a telephone talk, Sharadji expressed his support to her. He has also expressed his desire to come to Bengal and campaign in favour of the TMC," a senior party leader privy to the development told PTI. Meanwhile, the Left parties will be allying with the Congress for the Assembly Elections in the poll-bound states.

Earlier on December 9, leaders of various opposition parties including Sharad Pawar, Rahul Gandhi met President Ram Nath Kovind seeking the revocation of India's new farm laws against which scores of farmers have been protesting. The delegation of opposition leaders included CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja and DMK leader TKS Elangovan.

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Sharad Pawar said several political parties have requested the President that these new laws should be revoked as they were not discussed with either stakeholders or in the Select Committee of Parliament. "We told President that the three farm laws were passed undemocratically in Parliament and have sought the repeal of these laws," PTI quoted Yechury. The opposition delegation was limited to five because of the ongoing coronavirus situation in the country.

The three farm laws enacted in September have been projected by the government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country. However, the furious farmers are protesting saying there are apprehensions that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

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(With PTI inputs)