Way ahead: Farm unions undecided, weigh options

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 19

Even as the PM today announced that the contentious farm laws would be repealed, farmers in Punjab remain undecided on supporting any political party.

While most of the 32 farm unions forming the Samyukt Kisan Morcha say they will not be backing any party, there are some who are considering several options.

Senior leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said the likelihood of the farmers’ stir coming to an end “gives us reason to consider creating a separate entity for the coming polls.”

However, he said the farmers were not budging till the farm laws were repealed and the issues of MSP and compensation to the kin of more than 700 farmers who had died during the agitation were addressed.

General secretary of the BKU (Ugrahan) Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said backing a political party was not the way out. “We are prepared for a long struggle till all pending issues are resolved,” he added. The chances that all farmer unions would unite and form a common front for the elections are remote. Some experts believe that the Punjab BJP may be the biggest gainer. Besides former CM Capt Amarinder Singh’s outfit, it may get also the support of other parties, making the poll battle in Punjab a four-cornered affair.

Others feel the BJP may not make any gains as the farmers and their families are unlikely to forget the hardships they have endured for a whole year. Also, analysts do not rule out the SAD once again stitching an alliance with the BJP. The AAP may not see any significant gains.

Prof Pramod Kumar, Director, Institute for Development and Communication, said till now, the BJP was being blamed for Punjab’s problems. “Now the Congress will have to be answerable too.” Martyr Bhagat Singh’s kin Prof Jagmohan Singh pointed out that the announcement had come after the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in UP. “This indicates the BJP faces an uncertain future in UP.”