Opposition Walkout Over Cotton and Soybean Procurement Turmoil

Opposition members walked out of the Maharashtra assembly, dissatisfied with Marketing Minister Jaykumar Rawal's response regarding cotton and soybean procurement. They alleged that several centres were non-operational and that farmers, not traders, were being undersold. The government claimed increased procurement centres and prices but failed to convince opponents.

The Maharashtra assembly witnessed high drama on Thursday as opposition members staged a walkout, expressing dissatisfaction with Marketing Minister Jaykumar Rawal's reply on cotton and soybean procurement.

Amid heated discussions, BJP legislator Santosh Danve highlighted procurement issues during the question hour, with some treasury members backing the government's enhanced measures. However, opposition figures criticized the execution, asserting that procurement centres were either non-functional or marred by operational barriers.

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar accused the government of ineffective assistance to farmers, claiming undue advantage was being offered to traders as crops were sold below the Minimum Support Price. The opposition, finding the response inadequate, asked for further discussion but walked out after Speaker Rahul Narwekar's silence.

(With inputs from agencies.)