The rally was named as the thanks giving Kisan conclave. It was claimed that Kisans have come to Bhopal to thank Congress Rahul Gandhi under whose direction Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath waived the farmers loan next day after assuming power.

Two months after Congress ended its 15 year exile from power in Madhya Pradesh, AICC president Rahul Gandhi arrived in Bhopal on Friday to “thank the state from the heart” and to sound the bugle for Lok Sabh campaign.

“After winning Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh and Rajasthan Congress will form government in Delhi”, Rahul said. Chief Minister Kamal Nath hailed the AICC chief as the “future prime minister” and Congress MP Jyotiradiya Scindia called for victory in all 29 Lok Sabha seats in MP to “make Rahul the PM”.

Rahul mocked the Narendra Modi government’s Rs. 6,000 a year assistance to small and marginal farmers. “I had promised farms loan waiver within 10 days of Congress coming to power. Kamal Nath fulfilled the promise and Narednra Modi panicked. I have realised that you can frighten Narendra Modi and get any work done. I said I will waive loans of farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhastigarh. Narendra Modi said he will also work for farmers and then BJP MPS were thumping the tables for five minutes. Dhara-dhar, Dhara-Dhar table thumping. I wondered what did he do? Then I came to know he gave Rs. 17 per day to India’s farmers. Divide this again by the members of a farming family and it is just Rs. 3.50 per day per person. And yet the BJP government wrote off Rs. 3.5 lakh crore loans of 15 big industrialists”. Rahul said.

The MP Congress registered big boost when a highly respected former BJP veteran leader Ramkrishna Kusumaria joined the Congress in the presence of Rahul Gandhi. After joining Congress Kusumaria, five term MP and Minister recalled that “It was Rajmata (Vijayaraje Scindia) who made me a char-anna (four annas) BJP member. Because of the working of the BJP I had to leave that party and come to the Congress fold and now I am being welcomed by her grandson”.

“You know that in the BJP, veterans and elderly are being humiliated. They say Raja Kansa imprisoned his father to rule. Today’s BJP, the party that claims it is traditional, ill treats its veterans. I will work where I am respected and there is opportunity to work”. An emotional Kusmariya, fondly called Babaji by BJP workers, said.

He was still dressed in his trademark saffron kurta, but he received full respect from his new party leaders when he reached the dais.

Congress leaders seated Ramkrishna Kusmaria on the front row with leaders like All India Congress Committee president Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Kamal Nath, former chief minister Digvijay Singh, former Union minister Suresh Pachauri and Jyotiradita Scindia. Kusmaria was asked to address the crowd from the same podium as Rahul Gandihhi.

“I come from Bundelkhand, have been many times MP and as state Agriculture Minister initiated organic farming. It was during my tenure as Agriculture Mminister that Madhya Pradesh repeatedly won the Krishi Karman award” he said. Kamal Nath, he said was a simple and hard working Chief Minister.

With Kusmaria in the party Congress will immensely gain in Bundelkhand. The caste to which he belongs has substantial presence in Bundelkhand.

Gopal Bhargava, leader of opposition claimed that the Rally was a flop. He said that it spells out the Lok Sabha Election results. A flop rally before the Lok Sabha polls is an indication of things to come. Bhargava added.

“The rally exposed the promises which the Congress had made. It was first public rally in Bhopal after Congress took over charge in Madhya Pradesh. Absence of farmers in thanks giving rally exposed the tall promises made by the Congress before assembly elections” BJP leader said adding “Chief Minister Kamal Nath had announced that 2.5 lakh farmers will attend the rally but hardly 20,000 people attended the rally”. (IPA Service)