‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chor’ agitation on Wednesday; farmers to go without sale proceeds for the day

Nagpur: The Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Kamptee will remain closed on Wednesday as the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) launches its ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chor’ agitation. The shutdown is expected to hit farmers hard, leaving them without their daily earnings from the sale of fresh produce.

APMCs are state-regulated bodies created to ensure transparent trading, fair prices, and timely payments for farmers. However, the protest has temporarily turned Kamptee’s mandi into a political battleground, forcing cultivators and traders to halt their routine business.

One farmer from Ramtek, who was prepared to bring cauliflower to the market, said he had been instructed not to transport his produce. “We pack our crops every morning to sell them fresh. I often pluck tomatoes, chilies, and brinjal early in the day before taking them to Kamptee APMC. However, a local broker told me not to bring the produce on Wednesday because the market will be closed for the protest,” he explained.

A local vegetable street vendor from Kamptee added that he had made arrangements in advance to reduce his losses. “As we live in Kamptee, we were aware of the protest. I bought additional stock to sell in the town on Wednesday, but many others could not do the same,” he said.

The MPCC has launched its state-wide agitation from Kamptee in Nagpur district, claiming it seeks to expose electoral fraud and protect democratic values. Yet, while the campaign aims to spotlight political grievances, it has inadvertently left farmers and small vendors struggling to cope with the closure.