Clearly, with an eye on the Assembly elections due at the end of the year, the Madhya Pradesh BJP will hold a-fortnight-long ‘Kisan Samman Yatra’ beginning with a mega rally from Morena in the Gwalior-Chambal region on 1 April.

The BJP will try to address farmers’ grievances on issues such as the Mandsaur agitation, the Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojna and farmers suicides. It is an attempt to project a farmer-friendly image of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

The series of defeats in bypolls and civic polls has prompted the BJP to reach out to farmers. The Yatra will start from Dauji (Lord Krishna’s elder brother) temple near Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, as the shrine is considered one of the main deities of farmers.

The Yatra will enter MP through bordering Morena district in the Gwalior-Chambal division where a farmers’ rally will launch the BJP’s poll campaign in the state.

BJP state chief Nandkumar Singh Chouhan told a BJP Kisan Morcha meet that the state government had taken several pro-farmer decisions.

He said Madhya Pradesh has received Krishi Karman Award for five consecutive terms and praised Chouhan’s pro-farmer policies.

The yatra will pass through all 230 assembly constituencies in the rural parts of the state.

After the Yatra, a similar drive will begin in each district. A chariot bearing a photo of Lord Balram (Dauji) and containing water from the Yamuna, a plough and agricultural equipment, will pass through villages with Bhajan Mandalis.

The Kisan Samman Yatra will be held at every district headquarters of the state and the chief minister will address more than a dozen farmers’ rallies.

The BJP has assigned duties to all district, block and state office-bearers, rally in-charge, assembly in-charge and full-time workers.

MP from Gwalior and Union Rural Development and Mining Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told The Statesman: “BJP is fully dedicated for farm welfare and Kisan Morcha will surely win over the confidence of farmers in the state.”

The Opposition Congress also plans to reach out to farmers. “BJP is a party responsible for farmers’ suicides in hundreds and has even fired bullets at them. With what face is it organising such a Yatra,” asked state Congress president, Arun Yadav.