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 11. Woman Power – New Expression ................................ 218 Involvement with women’s issues… men and women farmers fighting shoulder to shoulder… Chandwad convention of 9 Nov 1986… three lakh women attend, biggest gathering of women… launch of Shetkari Mahila Aghadi… agitation against liquor shops… training women for participation in panchayat raj… Laxmi Mukti… Madhu Kishwar… two lakh women get ownership of land for the first time in life

12. On Political Front .......................................................... 242 Why politicians were avoided in the beginning and why that policy had to change… Rajiv wave… opposition to Congress as enemy number one… unsuccessful attempts to build united opposition at national level… five principles of political stance… 1990 elections… five MLAs elected for the first time… different alliances fail… Joshi himself never won an election… Aligning with V. P. Singh

13. Farmers on the National Agenda ................................ 263 Need for an all India organisation to force change in government policies… attempts to build all India unity of farmers… 30 Oct 1982, Interstate Coordination Committee formed at Wardha… 31 Oct 1982, death of wife Leela… developed links with farmers’ leaders from other States… unsuccessful alliance with Mahendra Singh Tikait,… failure of Delhi rally in October 1989… Advisory Committee on Agriculture

14. Search for New Ways .................................................... 284 Liberalisation of 1991… its background… support to Peter Dunkel Proposal and GATT… need to move beyond agitations to sustained work… 10 Nov 1991, convention at Shegaon to give new direction… Shivar Agro… Bhama Construction… respect for Rajaji… 6 Nov 1994, launch of Swatantra Bharat Paksh… Innovative Manifesto 12

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Sharad Joshi : Leading Farmers to the Centre Stage