Digvijaya suggests joint protest in front of PM's home to

Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh on Friday asked BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan to join him in a protest in front of the prime minister's residence in case the Centre continues to "discriminate" against Madhya Pradesh in relief disbursal for rain-affected farmers.

The Congress and BJP are on the warpath over farm distress caused by heavy rains, with the latter accusing the Kamal Nath government of failing to keep its promises of loan waiver and reduction in power bill.

The Congress has, in turn, claimed the Narendra Modi government at the Centre was not releasing funds under the National Disaster Relief Fund to MP.

Singh had written a letter to Chouhan on Thursday stating "though the state has provided immediate relief to the natural calamity affected persons, I am pained to inform the Centre has reduced its share of assistance from 90 per cent to 75 per cent".

"The (Union) government is also not releasing Rs 498 crore from Central Road Fund for construction and maintenance of roads in the state. It is discriminating with MP as the Central government had provided relief immediately to BJP- ruled Karnataka and Bihar after the crisis," the letter said.

Singh said he had written letters to the MPs from the state but "unfortunately they are also not playing their political role religiously in the interest of the people of the state".

Out of the 29 Lok Sabha and 11 Rajya Sabha MPs from MP, 36 belong to the BJP.

Singh pointed out that when Congress-led UPA was in power, Chouhan, state CM at the time, had staged a protest on March 6, 2014 accusing the Centre of discriminating against MP.

"Since both of us are former chief ministers of the state, therefore, it is our joint responsibility to stand for the people of Madhya Pradesh in their interest," Singh said.

"I request you, in the interest of the people of the state, to spare some time so that we both can meet the Prime Minister to discuss the matter. I am sure he (PM) will not avoid your pleas," Singh added.

The senior Congressman's letter said "in case he (PM) won't listen after this too, then we should stage a protest before the PM residence in Delhi in the interest of the people of the state".