-The Hindu Business Line Ryots in the sugar belt use their own money, shun funding from mill owners Kolhapur (Maharashtra): “I have money to contribute to your election fund,” says a man in tattered clothes, taking out a soiled ?10 note from his pocket. He hands over the note with a broad smile and a promise: “I have given a note, and now I will vote.” It’s a sunny afternoon in a tiny...

-The Hindu New Delhi: Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of deliberately creating and highlighting contention on national security issues as a political strategy, Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav warned that the long term result would endanger national interests. He was speaking in the context of the BJP’s response to Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s comments on the Balakot air strikes, and other efforts by the BJP to “hijack the electoral agenda”...

-The Hindu Decision to stop the scheme for now was based on opinion that unlike other schemes announced in the budget, this scheme entails cash transfer to beneficiaries, “which could sway them weeks before polling.” Bengaluru: The farm loan waiver scheme of the Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress coalition government has been stalled temporarily by the Election Commission of India after the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha election came into force. The...

-The Hindu Jaipur: The Congress government in Rajasthan has accused the Centre of adopting a “discriminatory attitude” towards the State’s Farmers, reflected in the lower targets set for procurement of mustard and gram on minimum support prices in comparison with the national average. A ceiling of 25-quintal purchase on a day has been set for the Farmers. State Cooperative Minister Udai Lal Anjana has taken up the matter with Union Agriculture Minister Radha...

-The Hindu Business Line Farmers observe fast to ‘denounce apathy’ to agrarian crisis Pune: Thousands of Farmers and activists in Maharashtra observed a day-long fast on Tuesday to commemorate the suicide of Sahebrao Karpe, the first farmer to end his life in the State, and to denounce what they called the government’s apathy towards the agrarian crisis. Karpe, a farmer from drought-prone Yavatmal district of Maharashtra, committed suicide along with his wife and...