In an apparent attempt to trim the growing resentment amidst the farming community in Punjab over the new farm laws, the state unit of the saffron brigade has formulated an eight-member panel to hold talks with the agriculturists.

The move, to directly contact the protesting farmers’ organizations, comes just about two days after the party virtually found itself isolated over the issue with the rivals sharing a common “anti-farmers” legislation platform. Moreover, its decades old ally, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), has also turned into foe over the issue and went on to part ways.

The setting up of the panel is being seen as a task imperative for the party with the State entering into the election year. Fighting elections with the support of its 24 years old alliance partner SAD in Punjab, the party will be facing the voters, mainly comprising of the farming community, alone this time with the severing of the ties.

The saffron party has all along been maintaining that the farmers have been misguided and ill informed regarding the new agriculture-related legislations. To counter the same, the party has planned to launch a month-long drive in Punjab’s all villages to allay concerns of farmers over the bills and dispel farmers’ “misapprehensions”.

The party has planned to reach out to the farmers in the State and tell them about the advantages of the bills through the programme.

“We will try to make farmers understand that the bills would bring economic prosperity and development in the agriculture sector, said Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma while informing about the decision, taken in the core committee meeting ahead SAD’s decision to move out of NDA. Following the party’s announcement to cover all villages, several villages and panchayats had declared not to allow any BJP leader to enter the villages with many putting up banners, posters announcing boycott of leader of the saffron party.

Alarmed, the party has now decided to establish contact with the protesting farmers’ unions to know their concerns, issues, and convey the same to the party high command. Announcing the setting up of the eight member panel, Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma said that the committee will hold talks with the farmers’ organizations to know their subject and to present their views.

Former MInister Surjit Kumar Jiyani would be heading the panel, with Rashtriya Kisan Morcha secretary Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal, Kisan Morcha state president Bikramjit Singh Cheema, State BJP vice president Sukhwant Singh Dhanoula, state executive member Satwant Singh Punia, Kisan Morcha’s former state president Jatinder Singh Atwal and former BJYM president Shivbir Rajan as its members.