Maha Cong, NCP leaders to discuss farmers' issues at AIKS meet

Top leaders of the NCP, the Congress and other non-BJP and non-Shiv Sena parties will discuss the issues of the agriculturists on November 12 at a meeting to be organised here by the farmers' wing of the CPI (M).

The Farmers' Rights Conference' is being organised by the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) which had led a long march of farmers from Nashik to Mumbai in March this year to raise a number of issues.

The AKIS has been demanding proper implementation of the loan waiver that was announced by the BJP-led state government last year, and land ownership rights for tribals.

The meeting will be attended by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan and other non-BJP and non-Shiv Sena leaders, the AIKS said in a statement Monday.

"These leaders will voice policies of their respective parties on issues like a farm loan waiver, price for agricultural produce, land ownership rights and drought," it said.

The conference is being organised to enable brain storming on the agrarian issues and decide future course of action on common issues, AKIS said.

The Maharashtra government had last week declared drought in 151 talukas in 26 districts of the state.