The Raju Shetty-led Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) on Wednesday withdrew its support to the saffron alliance government in the State and also quit the ruling NDA at the Centre in protest against the ruling BJP's "failure" to address the farmers' issues raised by it.  

Announcing its decision to severe its ties with the ruling BJP in the State and at the Centre  after his party's executive committee meeting in Pune,SSS MP and party chief Raju Shetty said: "We have raised farmers' issues with the Maharashtra Government and the Centre during the last three and half years. However, the State and Central Governments have not addressed any of the issues that we raised. All they have done is to hand us empty promises".

Earlier this month, the SSS leadership had expelled its leader and Minister of State for Agriculture Sadabhau Khot from the party and asked him to resign from the State Government.

However, Khot had refused from the party, saying that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would take a call in the matter.

Shetty, whose party is not happy with the manner in which the Fadnavis Government has handled the farmer loan waiver issue, said that his party would organise a massive farmers' rally at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi during the winter session of Parliament beginning on November 20.

“We are expecting to moblise a gatheruing 10 lakh farmers from across the country at the rally to be organised at Jantar Mantar.  

The SSS' decision to withdraw its support its to the BJP-led saffron alliance government and the ruling NDA at the Centre does not make much of a difference because that the party has only one lok Sabha member and has no representation in the State Assembly.