Like Bengal, efforts will be made in UP to create atmosphere against BJP: Tikait

Pilibhit (UP), July 15

Making his intentions clear against the Yogi Adityanath government, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Thursday said like in West Bengal, efforts will be made in Uttar Pradesh to create an atmosphere against the BJP in next year’s Assembly polls.

Speaking to reporters here, Tikait, who has been leading a farmers’ agitation on Delhi’s borders for the last seven months against three new farm laws of the Centre, said, “The BKU will neither contest the next Uttar Pradesh election nor will it lend support to any political party. The farmers, who are angry over the (Narendra) Modi government’s decision, will however work to create an atmosphere against the government and the BJP.”

Farmers will not vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) if they do not benefit from the government’s policies, the BKU spokesperson said, adding that like in West Bengal, in Uttar Pradesh too, they would work towards keeping the saffron party away from power.

Tikait, who was here to attend a private programme at the house of former Samajwadi Party (SP) district president Lakhwinder Singh Lakha in Mudalia Gausu village of Amaria tehsil, said the BKU succeeded in creating an atmosphere against the BJP in West Bengal.

As a result, the saffron party suffered a crushing defeat in the West Bengal polls, he said, adding that similarly, in Uttar Pradesh too, the members of the union will work to create an atmosphere against the present government.

Tikait said the future strategy of the farmers’ movement would be chalked out at the historic “Kisan Mahapanchayat” of the Kisan Morcha in Muzaffarnagar on September 5.

Adamant on the demand for a complete repeal of the three farm laws of the Centre, he said the Union government, while refusing to withdraw the legislations, has sent proposals to the farmers’ organisations several times for a discussion on the flaws in those.

Referring to the closed talks with the government for almost six months, Tikait said the Centre has an opportunity right now to find a solution to the problems of farmers. PTI