The BJP president Rajnath Singh on Thursday started off his two-day tour of Vidarbha region in Maharashtra to highlight the problems faced by farmers, after paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Sewagram Ashram here. Singh is the first BJP president to visit Sewagram, though other leaders like L K Advani had visited sites associated with the Mahatma, such as Sabarmati.

“Gandhi is still relevant for India,” wrote Rajnath Singh in the visitor’s diary at the Ashram, before beginning his ‘Kisan Yatra.’ The BJP president blamed the Congress for neglecting the primary sector all through its terms in Government. In contrast to the Congress track record, the BJP has tried to improve the lots of the farmers whenever it came to power, he claimed. He said if the BJP returns to power again, farm loans will be made available from cooperatives and nationalised banks at 4 per cent interest and the there will be absolutely no repayment in the first year. He said the existing loans should be waived and the MSP of agricultural products should be calculated in such way to ensure at least 50 per cent returns above the cost of production.