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Saharanpur (UP), Sep 3 (PTI): RLD president Jayant Chaudhary on Thursday said farmers need to identify their true supporters and choose a strong political advocate for their interests, as their political lobby remains weak despite being a majority.

Addressing a 'Swabhiman Rally' at Gochar Inter College in Rampur Maniharan here, the Union minister of state for skill development and education also accused socialist leaders of opposing farmers and farming.

"Farmers are in a majority and governments are made and unmade on their strength, but the hard reality is that the farmers' lobby is weak in political corridors. Therefore, farmers need to choose a strong advocate for their cause," he said.

Chaudhary said he had recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the condition of sugarcane farmers, including the possibility of creating a sugarcane control system.

He said the sugarcane crop was doing well in Uttar Pradesh and claimed production had increased from 24 lakh tonnes to 34 lakh tonnes.

Chaudhary said the political atmosphere was heating up ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

"Abuse has not started yet. We will deal with that at the appropriate time. For now, just listen," he said, alluding to the opposition.

He said the RLD's name continuing to figure prominently in the opposition discourse indicated that his party was moving in the right direction.

Chaudhary also invoked former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Chaudhary Charan Singh, saying they were among those who had first built the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

He said the NDA was a "nationalist alliance" and would remain strong, while the opposition grouping kept changing its name and composition.

On sugarcane issues, Chaudhary accused opposition parties of making statements for electoral gains but being unwilling to engage in a serious discussion.

"Perhaps they can still see the rasgulla," he said, using the popular sweet as a metaphor for the benefits associated with the sugarcane issue.

He said he would write to opposition leaders on the issue and, if they agree, he would send a packet of good rasgullas to Lucknow.

Chaudhary also stressed the need to connect young people with new sectors, alongside traditional occupations, to increase farmers' incomes and create employment opportunities.

Start-ups offer major new opportunities, he said, adding that around 55,000 of them registered with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) had started in the country last year.

"If the next generation does not see enough progress in farming, they should have the courage to start businesses in new areas. They should have skills and good education," he said.

As a minister, he said, his effort would be to open up avenues of employment and development for young people.

Referring to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Chaudhary said the chief minister was tough on those who stood against the government and the system but "his heart is very soft for farmers".

"When MLAs meet him over sugarcane prices and other farmers' issues, Yogi ji says that he too is a farmer," Chaudhary said.

The 'Swabhiman Rally' is being viewed as significant for the RLD's strategy ahead of the next electoral battle and as an effort to activate the party's organisational machinery.

The event came a day after Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav visited Saharanpur district. PTI COR KIS DIV DIV

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)