Seeking to take the sting out of a state-wide Congress agitation for higher soybean returns, Bharatiya Janata Party state unit chief and Khajuraho MP, Vishnudutt Sharma, on Friday accused the Opposition of leading the farmers astray.

Leading the party charge against the Kisan Nyay Yatra organized by the Congress, Sharma said leaders of the opposition party indulge in deceitful politics and are known for their betrayal of farmers.He lampooned the Congress while advising the party to seek forgiveness from voters, especially farmers, by organizing a 'Kshama Yatra' in Madhya Pradesh.Sharma further claimed that Congress members consistently lie.

The farmers in the state are well aware that the government formed under Kamal Nath's leadership also came to power through lies."Although the government lasted 15 months, it failed to fulfill its promises to farmers; it didn't waive off farmers' debts," he said.

He said that this is the same Congress party whose Digvijaya Singh government had opened fire on protesting farmers in Multai.He blamed the Congress for ignoring recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee regarding minimum support prices and kept the country's food producers in distress during its rule.

Referring to the Kisan Nyay Yatra, he said that the agitation lacks support from both farmers and Congress workers. He said that the state Congress president, Jitu Patwari, has no option besides stopping tractors to hide his failures.Farmers in the state know how the apathy of the Congress had left them reeling under a burden of debt before Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's government had brought them relief, said the state unit chief.

He also spoke of farmer welfare initiatives under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which he claimed are providing direct support to farmers.Sharma claimed that the BJP's double-engine government has introduced various initiatives for farmers' benefit, resulting in positive changes in their lives. Sharma said that the recent reevaluation of soybean MSP is unprecedented.