RANCHI, Feb. 3 -- Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi on Tuesday accused the JMM-led government of not purchasing paddy from farmers and 'forcing' them to sell their produce to middlemen at nominal prices.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP state headquarters, the former state president of the party claimed that the state government has purchased only 19.80 lakh quintal paddy from farmers till February 3 since the procurement started in mid-December last year.

"The government has set a target to procure 60-lakh quintal paddy from farmers by March 15. Around 2.79 lakh farmers had registered themselves to sell their produce at government procurement centres. However, only 35,547 farmers have so far turned up at these centres," Mara...