A day after newly-elected governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh announced farm loan waivers, the Gujarat government on Tuesday followed suit and announced a ₹650-crore waiver for energy bills of 6.22 lakh households in rural areas of the State.

As per a Gujarat government press release, the state government will waive off electricity bills of connection holders in rural areas to the tune of ₹650 crore, which will benefit 6.22 lakh households, mainly farmers, small businesses below poverty line families.

“Total 6.22 lakh connection holders in rural areas across the state will benefit with this waiver,”Gujarat’s energy minister Saurabh Patel said while announcing the major move aimed at wooing farmers and rural folk who have apparently grown disenchanted with the state administration. The State power companies had snapped power connections due to power theft and non-payment of dues amounting to ₹650 crore across the state. “These are domestic, agricultural as well as commercial connections in villages,” Mr. Patel said.

“This is a stunt by the BJP ahead of voting in Jasdan assembly constituency,” Gujarat Congress President Amit Chavda said.

“Why not provide 24-hour electricity to farmers?” asked Mr. Chavda., adding “dues waiver is a lollipop and farmers are not impressed.”

It may be noted that Gujarat also is witnessing agrarian crisis owing to deficit monsoons and lower minimum support prices (MSP). The ruling BJP suffered electoral debacle in the last assembly polls held in December 2017 when the opposition Congress captured rural areas in Saurashtra and North Gujarat regions.