Daijiworld Media Network - Bhopal
Bhopal, Feb 23: In a major political mobilization, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi are set to address a massive farmers’ convention in Bhopal on February 23. The event, billed as a ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat,’ marks the launch of the Congress’s national campaign against the proposed India-US trade agreement.
According to Madhya Pradesh Congress media in-charge and former minister Mukesh Nayak, the convention at Atal Path in the Jawahar Chowk area is expected to draw over one lakh farmers from across the state. Preparations include two large domes and a grand stage to accommodate around 250 leaders and office-bearers. The programme is scheduled to begin at 2 pm with the arrival of Kharge and Gandhi.
Nayak described the event as a “crucial platform for Congress workers in Madhya Pradesh” and said it will lay the foundation for a political movement aimed at challenging the BJP’s rule in the state. “The people of Madhya Pradesh are fed up with over two decades of corruption and misgovernance under the BJP,” he added.
State Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh, Umang Singhar, highlighted the economic stakes for farmers. He said soybean growers may face falling prices due to import pressures, while cotton farmers in Malwa and Nimar could suffer losses. “The Mahapanchayat is being organized to support farmers and raise awareness about the trade deal’s potential anti-farmer impact,” Singhar noted.
In preparation for the event, Harish Choudhary, in charge of Madhya Pradesh Congress, held discussions with local traders about the India-US trade agreement. Choudhary claimed that the deal allows imports of maize straw and reduces tariffs on soybean oil from 16% to zero, posing risks to soybean, cotton, and textile industries, which are major employment generators in the country.
On the other side, ruling BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, responded sharply. They asserted that the current government has done more for farmers than Congress in decades. Yadav accused the opposition of misrepresenting facts and urged Rahul Gandhi to “apologise” for allegedly misleading statements about farmers.
The Kisan Mahapanchayat in Bhopal is shaping up as a key battleground in Madhya Pradesh politics, with Congress seeking to rally farmers and workers ahead of larger national campaigns against the trade deal.