Hit By Kangana's 'Anti-Farmer' Comments, Haryana CM Rides Bullock Cart To Control Damage: WATCH

Haryana Assembly polls: CM Nayab Singh Saini took a bullock cart ride to connect with farmers, aiming to mitigate the damage caused by Kangana Ranaut's 'anti-farmer' comments.

Haryana Assembly Election: Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini, who is campaigning for the upcoming assembly polls, was seen taking a bullock cart ride on his way from Pundri to Jind on Wednesday. During the bullock cart ride, Nayab Singh Saini tried to connect with women associated with the agriculture sector in the region. Saini was accompanied by Haryana BJP president Mohan Lal Badoli.

CM Saini posted a video of the cart ride on X and captioned it: "The son of a poor farmer knows how to run the government as well as drive a bullock cart." The bullock cart ride was a calculated move by CM Saini to control the damage inflicted among the farming community voters by Kangana Ranaut's recent comments.

The BJP was recently hit by MP Kangana Ranaut's comments, which were perceived as anti-farmers. Kangana Ranaut claimed that "bodies were seen hanging and rapes were taking place" during the anti-farm law protests in 2020-21. She also said that "foreign powers" and "vested interest groups" were responsible for prolonging the farmers' protests despite the Narendra Modi government repealing the farm laws.

READ ON ABP LIVE | 'Agree With Party, Need To Align With Its Policies': Kangana On BJP's Rebuke Over 'Farmers Protest' Remark

The BJP faced major backlash for the remarks, after which the party distanced itself from the remarks. The BJP said that the Mandi MP is neither authorised nor permitted to speak on the party’s policy matters.

The Congress latched on to the comments to target the BJP ahead of the Haryana assembly polls. Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi hit out at the BJP for "disrespecting farmers".

"The BJP MP calling the farmers who sacrificed 700 comrades during the 378-day marathon struggle as rapists and representatives of foreign forces is another proof of the BJP's anti-farmer policy and intentions," he said in an X post. "The betrayal of farmers by the Modi government cannot be hidden by disrespecting the food providers and attacking their dignity," he added.

CM Saini's Olive Branch For Dushyant Chautala

Nayab Singh Saini, who is under pressure to retain the BJP government in Haryana, seemed to extend a peace gesture towards JJP chief Dushyant Chautala. The BJP-JJP alliance fell apart in March this year when Chautala withdrew support to the BJP government.

Saini during a media interaction on Monday (August 26) requested Chautala not to go with the Congress. Urging Dushyant Chautala to be "strong", CM Saini said: "Last time, you [JJP] got 10 seats; you should get a few more this time,” the CM said.