Published 20:46 IST, October 14th 2020
MP bypolls: BJP's Vijayvargiya campaigns for Scindia loyalist; slams Digvijay-Kamal Nath
BJP state General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Wednesday, claimed that the Congress duo - Kamal Nath-Digvijay Singh could not gather more than 100 people
Campaigning for the Madhya Pradesh by-polls, BJP state General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Wednesday, claimed that the Congress duo - Kamal Nath-Digvijay Singh could not attract more than 100 people to last Vidhan Sabha rallies. Addressing a poll rally at MP's Sanvare district where Health minister Tulsi Silawat (a Scindia loyalist) was contesting, Vijaywargiya took a shot at the duo saying that 'they had made false promises of farm loan waiver'. Vijaywargiya, who is known to be a rival of Congress-turned-BJP MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, made a snide comment saying 'Scindia who is royal made waiver promises after being told by them'.
Vijayvargiya campaigns for Scindia loyalist
"The scenario of Congress is so bad that Chunnu-Munnu - Kamal Nath and Digvijay Singh - could not gather 100 people to their Vidhan Sabha election rallies. I used to see from the helicopter - not more than 50-100 people would come at their rallies. Then they caught Scindiaji and gave him their promise," said Vijaywargiya.
"Scindiaji - born in a royal family - rolled up his sleeves and repeated their promises that farmers' loans will be waived in 8 days. After 8 months, Scindiaji said to Kamal Nath, 'You made me say throughout the state that loans will be waived, when will it happen'. They told him, 'There is money left in the treasury, let's see later'," he added.
BJP admits to Congress farm loan waiver
On 23 September, Agriculture Minister Kamal Patel accepted that farmer loans have been waived in 51 districts in the state by the previous Kamal Nath government. The BJP government admitted that farmer loans upto Rs 1 lakh have been waived in two phases, in response to Congress MLA Jayawardhan Singh's queries. These revelations come amid BJP's incessant allegations on the Kamal Nath government over farm loan waivers ahead of state by-polls.
As per reports, around loans up to one lakh rupees was waived off for 26 lakh farmers including -17,403 farmers in Guna, Bamori, Raghogarh, Madhusudangarh, Chachauda, Kumbhraj and Aron - which are up for by-polls. The two-phase farm loan waiver has covered all districts in the state, admitted BJP. After filing the written reply, BJP minister Bhupendra Singh alleged that the information provided was incorrect and an investigation has been ordered into it.
Madhya Pradesh crisis & bypolls
The crisis in the Kamal Nath government started when Congress alleged BJP of poaching 4 MLAs - two of which returned to Kamal Nath's folds. Soon, 22 MLAs including 6 cabinet ministers - loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia - quit the party, reducing the Congress to a minority government with 92 MLAs. Following this, Scindia resigned from Congress and then joined the BJP. After Nath stepped down as CM and the Madhya Pradesh Speaker accepted all 22 MLAs' resignation, all of them promptly joined BJP. Three more Congress MLAs have joined BJP since then - vacating 27 seats in the Assembly -which will go to by-polls on November 3 and counting on November 10.
Updated 20:47 IST, October 14th 2020