By scrapping the three contentious farms laws, the BJP may have made attempts to douse the fire of resentment among the farmers and their supporters before the Punjab and Uttar Pradesh polls, but the end of the tunnel, even after the fire-fighting attempts, appears to be bleak in Punjab.

Facing social boycotts and protests across the State for over a year now, the BJP leadership is expecting a turnaround with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to repeal farm laws that comes close on the heels of its decision to reopen Kartarpur Sahib Corridor to woo a majority of Sikh voters in the border State.

However, the political observers are of the view that the “announcement” was too late to benefit the BJP in the agrarian State of Punjab.

In Punjab, the BJP bore the brunt of the farmers’ agitation with its leaders virtually confined to their houses under the fear of being attacked by the farmers or the protesters. The farmers have staged protests against the BJP leaders across the State and also announced their social boycott. So much so, that the BJP’s every public meeting or programme was disrupted by the angry growers.

The villages banned the entry of politicians, particularly those from the BJP. They were stopped midway and gheraoed. BJP’s MLA from Abohar Arun Narang had to face farmers’ wrath twice.

Once he was gheraoed by the protesting farmers in Lambi Assembly segment in Muktsar district in November 2020 and was even forced to sit on the road. Later, Narang was roughed up and his clothes ripped off in full public view by a group of protesting farmers at Malout in Muktsar district where he had gone to address a press conference.

However, the BJP thinks it can capitalise on the PM’s decisions. “The decision is such a big news for Punjab and farmers. This would definitely be a big gain for BJP which has been on the defensive ever since the farmers protest started in Punjab. At least, the party leaders can now move out of their houses and campaign. This would be a big relief for BJP leaders and workers who have been living under fear,” a senior BJP leader, who did not wish to be named, told The Pioneer.

But political analysts don’t see any massive gain for the BJP. It is believed that the only advantage of this decision could be that the people may tone down their anger against the BJP. But, forgetting the sacrifices of all those farmers who laid down their lives for the struggle, and how the BJP leaders and their supporters dubbed them as Khalistanis, terrorists, would not be that easy.  saffron party was left to fend for itself after its decade-old ally, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), snapped ties in 2020 in protest of bringing the three agriculture laws. While SAD has forged an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), BJP is gearing up to contest polls on all 117 Assembly seats banking on the BJP-led Central Government’s pro-Sikh and pro-Punjab decisions and initiatives, including Kartarpur corridor.

The BJP is reportedly making all out preparations in all assembly seats even as the former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who has recently parted ways with the Congress, has given enough indications to enter in seat sharing arrangement with the BJP only if the farmers’ issue was resolved “in their interest”.

 Now with the announcement, Capt Amarinder was quick to welcome the move and claim credit by tweeting that he had been working for the resolution of the issue for more than a year and had met the Prime Minister and Home Minister. He even maintained that he was looking forward to working “closely with BJP led Centre for development of Kisans”.

Capt Amarinder has floated his own political outfit - Punjab Lok Congress, however, the BJP is yet to take a formal call regarding him.

Welcoming the move and expressing gratitude towards the Prime Minister, Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma requested the farmers to return to their homes and believe in Modi’s words.

 “The Prime Minister has shown his big heart by announcing the decision to revoke farm laws which, he said, were brought for the farmers’ benefit. Only Modi ji can do this...Now, the Punjab’s farmers are requested to return to their home as there is no question to continue now,” he said, adding that we should believe the Prime Minister’s promise.

 Also hailing PM’s gesture on farm laws, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh said that the Prime Minister has demonstrated exceptional magnanimity by announcing to repeal the three agriculture laws in view of prolonged protest by a section of farmers.