Newskarnataka-Bangalore
Bangalore : Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is likely to hold talks with sugar factory owners in Belgaum on December 2 Monday in the backdrop of the hesitancy on the part of sugar factory owners in offering to the growers the support price fixed by the government.
If the sugarcane growers have been staging a dharna in front of the Suvarna Saudha since the beginning of the Belgaum session demanding Rs 3000 support price, on the other hand the sugar factory owners are refusing to agree for the Rs 2500 support price announced by the government landing the government in a piquant situation.
The CM is now facing the inevitability of holding talks with owners of sugar factories particularly in the backdrop of the agitation of the farmers taking a serious turn with the suicide of farmer Vittal Arebavi. In the meantime, over five influential ministers including Sugar Minister Prakash Hukkeri and more than ten MLAs are owners of sugar factories making it inevitable for the government to take the sugar factory owners into confidence.
Already, Renuka Sugars Chief Vidya M Murkumbi has warned of resorting to sugar factory bundh if the government pressurizes the factories to agree for the support price fixed by it.
The CM is likely to visit Belgaum after attending the Talakadu Panchalingadarshana programme and then hold talks with farmers. It is now left to be seen how the CM would tackle the issue. Sources said the government was likely to hold another round of talks on Tuesday if Monday’s talks fail.