Take revenge from BJP in 2018, Congress’ Scindia tells voters in MP’s Bhind

Senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia’s Kisan Jan Aakrosh rally, in this once dacoit-infested area, turned into a massive show of strength as the former Union minister gave a clarion call to oust the BJP in the 2018 assembly elections in the state.

Senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia launched a blistering attack on the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday for its “failure” to address the problems confronting farmers.

Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia addressing 'Jan Akrosh Rally' at Bhind in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday. (PTI)

Scindia’s Kisan Jan Aakrosh rally, in this once dacoit-infested area, turned into a massive show of strength as the former Union minister gave a clarion call to oust the BJP in the 2018 assembly elections in the state.

The BJP is ruling Madhya Pradesh for the past 13 years after it came to power in 2003.

“We have to take revenge for all the misdeeds of this BJP government in two years from now,” the Guna Lok Sabha MP told the gathering, adding, “Let’s all get ready for that.”

Congress workers were upbeat to see the overwhelming public response to Scindia’s roadshow from Gwalior to Bhind.

The slogans of “Abhi to angdai hai, aage aur ladai hai (This is just the beginning, the final battle is still ahead)” reverberated at the Rajiv Gandhi sports complex in Bhind.

The BJP government is facing political flak over allegations of corruption, price rise, farmers’ suicides and inadequate compensation to drought-hit and hailstorm-affected farmers. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in particular, has been at the receiving end over his handling of the Vyapam scam.

Scindia, who is the Congress party’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha, has been touring the state’s Gwalior-Chambal division comprising Ashok Nagar, Datia, Guna, Gwalior, Shivpuri, Bhind, Morena and Sheopur districts for the past 18 days.

“Kisan behaal, BJP neta malamaal (Farmers are in distress while BJP leaders are getting richer),” Scindia said, attacking the Chouhan government.

He also slammed the Modi government, saying it had failed to pay the minimum support price (MSP) to the farmers who were unable to repay their loans and were thus committing suicides in large numbers.

The Congress leader said the country’s agriculture growth rate was 4.5% during the UPA rule but it came down to just 1% under the NDA government.