Decision to repeal farm laws not related to upcoming polls: BJP

New Delhi, Nov 19 (IANS) While the Centre's announcement to repeal three farm laws is seen as a political decision with eye on forthcoming assembly polls in five states, the BJP claims that it has nothing to do with elections as the party has won many states after laws were passed by the Parliament.

In his address to the nation on Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the government's decision to repeal the three farm laws in the upcoming winter session of the Parliament.

Sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said there have been attempts made to call the decision to repeal the laws as a political move by the government for upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur but it is not true and far from reality.

"However, everyone must remember that BJP has won many elections by-polls after the farm laws were passed in the Parliament last year," a party source said.

The saffron party mentioned that after three farm laws were implemented in September last year, it has won Assam assembly polls by winning 60 out of 90 it contested.

In West Bengal Assembly polls, the BJP has won 77 seats out of the 291 contested while it had won three out of the same number of contested seats in 2016.

The BJP became a part of the government in Puducherry for the first time ever after securing six seats in polls held earlier this year.

The party also mentioned by-polls victory in Maharashtra in May.

"We won by-polls in Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka held on October 30. We swept the Zila Panchayat chairpersons' elections In Uttar Pradesh. We also won civic polls in Gujarat and Karnataka. It is completely wrong to say that the decision to repeal the farm laws is a political move with an eye on next year's assembly polls in five states," a senior party functionary said.

Referring to the Prime Minister's word that whatever he did was for farmers and what he is doing is for the country, another senior functionary said that the farmer's movement was being explored by vested interest groups who wanted to use this movement to weaken India.

"There were inputs that some international forces are planning to create unrest in the country, especially in Punjab. Decision has nothing to do with politics, for the Narendra Modi government's national interest is first priority and it is above politics. Elections come and go but for the BJP nation comes first," he said.

A senior leader pointed out that despite BJP being in majority in both Houses of Parliament, the Prime Minister has taken the more democratic and statesmanlike approach.

"We have a majority in Parliament, we have a government in a large majority of states as well. Yet, the Prime Minister has taken a decision because it was clear that there were still a small number of people who were opposing the farm laws and did not see the good that was to come out of it. Prime Minister Modi has taken the more democratic and statesman-like approach," he said.