Bhubaneswar, December 18: In the backdrop of farm loan-waivers announced in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Assam, the BJP - which is in Opposition in Odisha - has upped the ante against the Naveen Patnaik-led BJP government. The party has issued a deadline to the Chief Minister, asking him to implement a loan-waiver programme by January 8.

BJP's state unit president Basant Panda said the farmers in Odisha are the worst affected, due to the lack of adequate remunerative prices being offered by the state. Assam Govt Announces Rs 600 Crore Farm Loan Waiver, Nearly 8 Lakh Farmers to Benefit.

If the government fails to waive off the loans, the BJP would be launching a state-wide agitation, said Panda, adding that BJD would be routed if it continues to remain "anti-farmer".

"Odisha's farmers are in distress for various reasons. Nobody is purchasing their harvest at the prescribed MSP. We demand that farmers' loans be waived off. BJP will protest in front of the secretariat on January 8," Panda said.

The timing of the loan-waiver demand coincides with the offensive launched by the Congress against the ruling BJP at the Centre, demanding a one-time loan-waiver for the farmers by the central government.

"We will not rest till the loans are waived off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday, adding that the Centre will have to shun its "apathy" towards the agrarian class.

The Gandhi scion also boasted of the farm loan-waivers announced by the Congress Chief Ministers in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, "within six hours of taking oath".

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 18, 2018 08:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).