Clarify on U-turn: Farmers leader to Ayyakannu

The President of the Coordination Committee of all TN farmers’ associations PR Pandian asked farmer leader P Ayyakannu to bring out the truth behind his meeting with BJP chief Amit Shah and thereafter, his decision to not contest from Varanasi. He asked the farmers to vote against the BJP, which had failed to promise loan waivers in their manifesto. Pandian said the BJP’s promises to double the farmers’ income, linking of rivers and farm loans of up to Rs 1 lakh without interest were to hoodwink the farmers. He also slammed the Modi government for approving the construction of a new dam across Cauvery river in Karnataka.