New Delhi: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is likely to take part in Biju Krushak Janata Dal’s (BKJD) protest to be held here January 8 demanding a hike in the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy to Rs 2,930 per quintal.
According to a top BJD leader, the Chief Minister may address the gathering in Delhi. The BJD leader, however, said that the Chief Minister’s program has not been finalised yet but there is probability of him addressing the people in New Delhi.
The BKJD will hold a day-long protest at Talkatora Stadium here to protest against the alleged anti-farmers’ policies of the Union government. A special train with capacity of 1,600 people will reach Delhi January 7. Party sources said around 5,000 people would join the protest.
Earlier, the BJD had held a preparatory meeting for the protest. After the meeting, BKJD president and Rajya Sabha MP Prasanna Acharya had said that people’s representatives from all the spheres, MLAs, MPs and farmers’ representative and representatives from panchayats will come here and protest against the government. He also said the party leaders would try to meet President to submit a memorandum to him.
The Odisha Assembly had also passed a unanimous resolution, agreed by all the parties in the House, requesting Central government to raise the paddy MSP to Rs 2,930.