Even as the BJP is banking on Central Government’s schemes for farmers to gain votes in Maharashtra Assembly elections, Sujay Vikhe-Patil a BJP MP from Ahmednagar has stirred a controversy.

Speaking at an election rally, the young MP referring to the PM- Kisan scheme, said, “ Modi sahib has deposited a cheque of Rs 2000 in their ( farmers') accounts last month. If Modi’s Rs 2000 is acceptable, why not the lotus? ( BJP’s election symbol). And if the lotus is not acceptable, remove (return) the Rs 2000, we can use it for poor people.

He also asked Ahmednagar’s guardian minister to get a list of farmers who have got benefit of PM-Kisan scheme and still attend election meetings of opposition parties.

Under the PM-Kisan scheme landholding farmers get income support of Rs 6,000 per year. The amount is to be released in three 4-monthly instalments of Rs 2,000 each directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiary farmers. Angry farmers have started reacting to the MP’s statement. Activist and farmer Datta Dhage sent a cheque of Rs 2000 to Vikhe-Patil saying that the MP has offended farmers by making the statement.

Sujay Vikhe-Patil also talked about the lack of political and intellectual morality (of farmers who take ‘money from Modi’ and vote to the opposition). Interestingly, Vikhe-Patil is a turncoat and son of former Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, a turncoat himself. Radhakrishna was the leader of the opposition in the State Assembly for almost five years and targeted the BJP- Sena government. However, as his son Sujay was not given Lok Sabha nomination, Radhakrishna resigned as a leader of opposition ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls and joined the BJP government in Maharashtra as a cabinet minister. Sujay contested in the Lok Sabha elections as a BJP candidate and was elected from Ahmednagar. Vikhe-Patils control the cooperative sector in Ahmednagar and in the past the family members have shifted their loyalties towards various parties.

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