By Gargi Parsai

MANDSAUR (MP), Nov 24 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit here on Saturday for an election rally at College Grounds is expected to give a fillip to BJP candidates, some of whom are locked in a fierce battle with opponent Congress or even rebel independents, to retain their seat.

The agriculturally-rich Malwa region, dominated by Patidars and Rajputs, had returned BJP in a big way in 2013 Assembly election and paved the way for BJP’s rule for the third time in the state.
The party had won seven of the eight Assembly segments in Mandsaur Constituency including Mandsaur, Malhargarh(SC), Garoth, Jawra, Neemach, Manasa and Javad. Only Suvasra was won by Congress and the candidate, Hardeep Singh Dang, is likely to repeat the show this time.

BJP had won 163 seats out of 230 in the outgoing Assembly. Incumbent Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the party’s chief ministerial candidate. The Congress has not declared any chief ministerial face.

Visits by UNI correspondent to rural areas show that the trend so far is that BJP candidates are struggling to retain their seat in Malhargarh (SC), Neemach, Garoth and Javad. In Garoth and Javad, both the Congress and BJP are having to contend with rebel candidates respectively, while Malhargarh and Neemach BJP candidates are trying to assuage restless farmers.

The agitation in 2016 against falling prices in which six farmers had died, is being highlighted by the Congress. The party invites family members of victims to their meetings.

In the cacophony, progressive steps taken by the Madhya Pradesh government to give a boost to farm production have been lost.

The biggest move of the Chouhan government was to boost water supply by construction of a chain of dams, reservoirs and 'talabs' and to provide 24-hour electricity supply to households and farmers fields which helped in taking the state’s agriculture growth rate to about 22 per cent.

With such bounty, production zoomed and Mandsaur and Neemach mandis were flushed with supplies of wheat, soyabean, onion, garlic, maize and herbs but instead of being happy, farmers became restless as they lacked markets leading to fall in prices.

The agitation of 2016 went out of hand when anti-social elements infiltrated the ranks and set fire to a police station in Malhargarh leading to firing. Five farmers were killed and another one died later in police station.

Mr Chouhan went on fast etc and gave compensation of Rs one crore each to victims’ family but damage had been done. He has since visited the region frequently and last rabi season ago announced Bhavantar Yojna. This is Mr Modi's first visit since.

Bhavantar Yojna is to compensate farmers for not getting minimum support price or the fixed rate prices for their produce. The scheme is open to all classes of farmers who must register online to avail the benefit which is open for limited period. Long queues for registration so that money is transferred online is irking farmers.

An off-shoot of Bhavantar is that traders in mandis are refraining from giving fixed price as they know that each farmer will get an additional fixed amount per quintal for their produce. Farmers feel shortchanged about this.

Neemach sitting MLA Dilip Singh Parihar told UNI that no other Chief Minister had done so much for farmers as Mr Chouhan be it proving water, roads, electricity or for falling prices, calamity compensation and fasal bima yojna.

Parihar dismissed Congress promise of loan waiver of Rs 2 lakh for farmers, which is impacting trends here, saying the party is good at making promises and not fulfilling.

In adjoining Ratlam (City), 85 kms from here, BJP’s sitting MLA Chetan Kashyap, who is more of a social worker, is ahead of Congress’ Prem Lata Dave.

UNI GP SV 1112