Election hangover keeps farmers away from their land, agriculture takes back seat in Karnataka

The prolonged campaigning and election exercise continues to impact farmers, and the bulk of the rural populace, where the turnout was also higher than in urban regions.

The elections are over, the results will be out on Saturday May 13, and it is business as usual in urban areas. But the hangover from the prolonged campaigning and election exercise continues to impact farmers, and the bulk of the rural populace where the turnout was also higher than in urban regions.

This is evident in the small and large group of farmers sticking together underneath a tree or in the verandah, and discussing the pros and cons of the victory of the BJP or the Congress, or the possibility of a fractured mandate, and its impact on the farming community.

As a result, farming activity has been considerably affected. Most workers have stayed away from agricultural work, as the suspense over the results has kept them on tenterhooks.

Moderate to heavy rains that lashed parts of Mysuru, Mandya and Chamarajanagar districts in the last few days should ideally have triggered agricultural activity in the region, with farmers taking to the fields.

But not so this year, despite south interior Karnataka receiving 70 mm of rainfall against a normal of 25 mm for the period from May 1 st to 10 th. The departure from normal is 176% and was ideal for farmers to prepare the fields for tilling before sowing activity could commence.

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‘’Not only are the farmers busy discussing the elections, but there is enough informal betting going on in most villages. This election hangover will prevail till the results are out on Saturday May 13, and will subside by Sunday May 14. Agricultural and farm work will gain traction only from Monday May 15,” said Kurubur Shanthakumar, president, Sugarcane Cultivators’ Association.