Khaira slams Rana for promoting 'pvt marketing' of crops

Days after Punjab affairs in charge Bupesh Baghel directed state Congress leaders to raise issues against each other on the party platform, Bholath Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira on Tuesday accused his party colleague and Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh of "promoting the BJP model of private marketing of crops".

Khaira and Rana have been at loggerheads in the past. Rana on Monday announced he would purchase maze from farmers for two years at MSP. 

Nothing to do with Cong: Warring

PPCC chief Amrinder Raja Warring said the party was against privatisation of marketing of crops. “It was in individual initiative of the MLA (Rana Gurjeet Singh) and the party has nothing to do with the guarantee of MSP on maize”, he said.

Taking to social media platform ‘X’, Khaira said Rana was propagating private purchase of maize for his ethanol plants. Also, Rana model supported the BJP government's proposal to implement private marketing of crops as was proposed in one of the 3 junked farm laws in 2021.

Khaira also questioned the timing of Rana's move when the Congress was gearing up for the Assembly 2027 elections.

The Bholath MLA further alleged, “Rana has not yet cleared Rs 27.74 crore due to sugarcane farmers since 2021-22, besides beetroot crop arrears. Being an office-bearer of the Congress, he should have raised the issue on the party platform”, Khaira added.

Refusing to comment on utterances by the Bholath MLA, Rana said it was for the party high command to see and asserted that it was his own initiative to help farmers by buying maize at MSP.