Two days after the BJP launched Kisan Sandesh Yatra to woo farmers against the backdrop of the recent unrest among them, the Opposition Congress on Thursday announced to take out Kisan Swabhiman Yatra from July 1 in support of various demands of peasants, including loan waiver.

The BJP launched the farmer outreach programme on Tuesday, which is viewed as a major damage control exercise to reach out to farmers after the recent protests in parts of the state.

The programme was declared in a joint press conference convened by AICC general secretary Mohan Prakash and PCC Chief Arun Yadav. Yadav said the 10-day yatra is being organised to back various demands of cultivators.

"The Kisan Swabhiman Yatra will reach villages to support the distressed farmers' demands in Madhya Pradesh," AICC general secretary and party's state affairs in-charge Mohan Prakash said.

He said the yatra will culminate in a rally in lahar area in Bhind district on July 10, which will be addressed by senior Congress leaders. “Among other demands, we want the Centre and the state governments to waive loans of farmers, buy their farm produce at satisfactory prices and implement the Swaminathan Commission report for well being of farmers," the Congress leaders said.

Yadav said the condition of farmers in Madhya Pradesh was worrisome and that as many as 42 cultivators have ended their life since June 9 this year.

 Mohan Prakash said farmers are "deeply dejected" and are killing themselves since five peasants were killed and six others were injured in the police firing in Mandsaur on June 6.

Under the BJP's Kisan Sandesh Yatra, the public representatives of the party will interact with farmers and hear their grievances. They would inform the peasants about various welfare schemes being run by the state and Central Governments, a party leader said.

"During the yatra, we will dispel the misconceptions being spread among farmers by vested interests. The basic aim of our programme is to connect farmers with the government's policies and remove any doubts they are having about the state administration," state BJP general secretary VD Sharma said.