MP Elections 2023: BJP Deceiving Farmers, Congress Will Provide Higher MSP, Says Randeep Surjewala

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday attacked the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government and the central governments over issues related to farmers and said "BJP was deceiving" them.

Surjewala, who is the Congress in charge of poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, alleged at a press conference that the state government had "conveyed" that the support price required for different crops was more than that announced by the Centre.

"The government announces MSP (minimum support price) but crops are not procured from farmers at this price. In 2022-23 rice production was 1302 lakh tonnes, and 651 lakh tonnes were procured at MSP," he alleged.

The Congress leader said the proportion of MSP procurement was even less for crops like wheat.

"It is clear. The MSP of BJP is only on paper," he said. He attacked Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as "Radio Gappistan".

"The truth about MSP was hidden, lock put on schemes for farmers. Betrayal is BJP's identity. Congress will give better support price than the Swaminathan formula," Surjewala posted on 'X'.

The Congress leader also raised questions over "meagre" allocations for Bhavantar Yojana.

"The state government has put a lock on the Bhavantar scheme. There is a provision of only Rs 1000 in the 2023-24 budget. Not a penny was spent on it in 2021-22 and 2022-23. The Congress government in the state had in 2019-20 had spent Rs 422.84 crore under it and benefitted farmers," he said.

Surjewala said that farmers were facing problems due to the increase in prices of diesel, seed and electricity.

"Congress has promised farmers would get Rs 2600 per quintal of wheat and Rs 2500 for rice which is more than the price laid down under Swaminathan report. We have promised that there would be no bills for those farmers who have motors with a capacity of 5 HP," he added.

Madhya Pradesh is among five states going to the polls next month. Polling will be held for 230 seats in state assembly on November 17 and the counting of votes will take place on December 3.