The ruling party’s wins in Haryana and western U.P. despite the farmers’ protests, highlights a shift in India’s complex agricultural system, where economic power is now shared among diverse stakeholders beyond traditional farmers.

Reasons for Opposition’s Loss

• Limited Outreach:
  • Agriculture in regions like Haryana and western U.P. has become a complex network shaped by technology and a diversified agro-food value chain. 
  • Besides farmers, the influence of traders, logistics suppliers, transporters, processors, and retailers has grown significantly. 
  • The opposition’s limited focus on farmers alone missed the mark, alienating other key stakeholders who now play a critical role in the economy.
• Over-Reliance on Farmers’ Protests: 
  • The opposition heavily banked on the farmers’ protests, misjudging the electorate’s broader concerns. 
  • While many voters sympathised with the protests, they prioritised issues like local governance and development, which were downplayed by the opposition’s narrow focus.
• Caste-Centric Strategy:
  • Focusing primarily on the Jat community, the opposition failed to resonate with other influential groups, such as the Baniya community of traders and processors. 
  • This allowed the ruling party to frame the election as ‘Jat vs. other castes,’ deepening divisions between farmers and non-farmers.

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Conclusion

As India navigates the complexities of its agricultural system, political parties must adapt to the changing realities and engage meaningfully with a diverse array of stakeholders. By doing so, they can foster a more inclusive and sustainable agricultural policy framework that benefits all parties involved, ultimately leading to a more stable socio-political environment.

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