Bihar elections 2020: Rahul Gandhi promises pro-farmer approach, lambasts Nitish govt

Addressing a rally in Katihar constituency, Bihar on Tuesday, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi alleged that the NDA government had given a raw deal to the farmers. To buttress his point, Gandhi highlighted the pro-agrarian approach of the Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh government. He highlighted that farmers in Chhattisgarh secured Rs.2,500 per quintal for paddy as against Rs.700 in Bihar.

According to the Wayanad MP, there was no justification for the farmers of Bihar not to get a fair price for their produce. Maintaining that the farmers of Bihar committed a mistake by voting for Nitish Kumar as the CM, he stressed that it was time to effect a change. At present, the voting for the third phase of the Bihar polls is underway. 

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi remarked, "The farmers in Chhattisgarh will tell you that there is a Congress government and we get Rs.2,500 per quintal for paddy. Why can't the farmers fetch this price here? There is water, there are fields, farmers and everything else here. Forget Rs.2,500 or MSP, you get only Rs.700 here. What is the mistake that the farmers of Bihar have committed? Your mistake is that you voted for Nitishji and Modiji. You made him the CM. Now, it is time to rectify the mistake."

Read: In Bihar Elections, Ex-CM Rabri Devi Rakes Up 2002 Gujarat Riots As She Votes In Patna

Read: Tejashwi Says He'll Cut CM & MLAs' Salaries To Ensure 10 Lakh Jobs If Elected In Bihar

Congress contests as part of Mahagatbandhan

As per Mahagatbandhan's seat-sharing formula, RJD, Congress, CPI(M-L), CPI and CPM are fielding candidates from 144, 70, 19, 6 and 4 constituencies each. While 21 Congress candidates contested in the first phase on October 28, 24 and 25 members of the party are in the fray in the second and third phase respectively. Sharad Yadav's daughter Subhashini Raj Rao (Bihariganj) and Shatrughan Sinha's son Luv (Bankipur) are among the prominent candidates to get the Congress ticket. Only 7 (10%) of the overall Congress candidates are women. Congress has named 30 'star campaigners' including party president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Vadra, former PM Manmohan Singh, Amarinder Singh, Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel. 

Read: Tejashwi Yadav Pens Letter To PM Modi; Reminds Him Of "special Status For Bihar" Promise