Punjab Polls: Farmers, opposition parties have opposed center’s agricultural law since last year
Chandigarh:
Twenty-two farmers’ unions – part of 32 unions that gathered under the Samyukt Kisan Morcha banner last year to protest the center’s agricultural law – have joined hands to form a tentative political party. will contest all 117 seats in February. – Punjab council elections.
The party – Samyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) – could ally with Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party, although this has so far been denied.
“SKM (Samyukt Kisan Morcha) was an umbrella organization of different groups … we won against agitation (against the farm law). But, when we came back, there was pressure. …if we can win that battle, we can win the election too… ” said Harmeet Singh Kadian, leader of the BKU (Kadian) faction.
“At the request of the public, we are introducing Samyukt Samaj Morcha,” he said.
“This is a morcha, or movement, not a party because again people from different ideologies get together… If we had decided earlier to hold the visits We’ve declared a symbol,” he said.
BKU (Rajewal) leader, BS Rajewal, who is expected to lead the SSM, said: “First we have to strengthen our party at the village level… Aam’s Diary (ordinary people) … “he said while talking about the SSM-AAP agreement;” There is no negotiation… this is just speculation by the media,” he said.
Farmers across the country protested against the center’s agricultural law for 15 months (File)
News of farmers plunging into electoral politics comes hours after Samyukt Kisan Morcha explicitly ruled out opposing any election at this point.
SKM said it identifies itself as a “platform of more than 400 ideologically diverse organizations” and, given the lack of consensus among those organizations, it will not hold polls.
Punjab (and 4 other states, including UP) will hold elections in February-March.
Both states have significant numbers of farmers, and their vote is seen as key to deciding whether Congress (taking power in Punjab) and the BJP (taking power in UP) are still good to go.
The farm law – passed last September – has sparked violent protests across the country.
However, last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi – in a dramatic announcement just three months before the UP and Punjab elections – said the three laws would be withdrawn.
The government’s surprising turnaround – after senior figures, including the Prime Minister, spent months attacking the protesting farmers – raised questions from critics only. extract polls.
As part of the protest, thousands of farmers from Punjab and UP (as well as Haryana and Rajasthan) have been camping on the Delhi border since last November. The BJP – in power in the center and in the UP, and hoping to oust Parliament from Punjab – has faced great anger from voters in these states.
As such, the return is seen as politically pivotal, especially with the general election due in 2024, and has sparked speculation from critics and opposition alike that the BJP may attempt to try to reinstate agricultural laws after this election – assuming, of course, the political capital to do so.
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