Congress accuses BJP government in Madhya Pradesh of anti-farmer policies, destroying mandi system

The Madhya Pradesh Congress has strongly condemned the BJP government for pursuing policies detrimental to farmers and for dismantling the state’s mandi system.

Talking to reporters in Bhopal, senior Congress MLA and former state agriculture minister Sachin Yadav accused the BJP of breaking key election promises, including providing 10 hours of uninterrupted electricity and procurement of soybean, wheat, and paddy at assured minimum support prices (MSP).

“Rural areas suffer frequent unannounced power cuts, government procurement of soybean stopped in 2025, and wheat procurement and price guarantees are missing,” Yadav said.

He also highlighted a severe fertiliser shortage affecting both rabi and kharif crops, alleging that the government attempted to mislead farmers by claiming diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser would render land barren.

Yadav further exposed the financial distress of the mandi system, revealing the Mandi Board owes Rs 1,700 crore to the state government and suffers from severe administrative understaffing, with secretaries managing multiple mandis over vast distances. Despite this, the government’s demand for an additional Rs 1,500 crore from the Mandi Board—opposed by Agriculture Minister Aidal Singh Kansana—is viewed as a move to cripple the mandi system financially.

Farmers of onions and bananas are facing plummeting prices; many are forced to dispose of crops due to losses. Banana farmers in Burhanpur particularly suffer from exclusion in crop insurance schemes.

Although the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh under Kamal Nath's leadership lasted for just a year-and-a-half, farmers enjoyed security, respect, and stability during that period, Yadav said.

"Under the Congress government's 'Jai Kisan Rin (loan) Mukti Yojana', crop loans up to Rs 2 lakh were waived for farmers and electricity bills up to 10HP were halved. Under 'Shuddh Ke Liye Yuddh' (war for purity) campaign, strict action was taken against counterfeit fertilisers and seeds," he said.

(With PTI inputs)