Haryana Polls: Farmers to up the ante against BJP

New Delhi: Ahead of the assembly elections in Haryana, the protesting farmers unions have upped the ante against the ruling BJP and will hold two major rallies in the state to push for a minimum support price (MSP) guarantee legislation.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Morcha have given a call for a mahapanchayat in Jind on Sunday. This will be followed by another rally the following Sunday (September 22) in Pipli, the place in Kurukshetra where the farmers had initiated their protest last year demanding procurement of sunflower seed at MSP.

Speaking to ET, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee leader Sarvan Singh Pandher said, "Farmers from across Haryana and certain districts of Punjab will gather at the two places to put forth their demands - first in Jind and then in Pipli. We will chart our future course of action at the mahapanchayat in Jind."


The farmers have been protesting against the incumbent BJP government in Haryana from February this year since they were stopped at the Punjab-Haryana border and not allowed to march till Delhi.

According to sources, the unions are internally discussing how to oppose the ruling party in the forthcoming elections. When asked if a call to boycott the BJP will be given, Pandher said, "All options are being weighed."

In the run-up to parliamentary elections in Punjab, the farmers unions had not given an open call to boycott but the angst against the BJP was visible on the ground.

The call given at Khanauri and Shambhu - the two places on Punjab-Haryana border where the farmers were camping - was "Any party but the BJP".

The farmers did not even allow BJP candidates to enter the villages to campaign in Punjab.

Pandher further said, "We will discuss how to put forward our demands and then take a common call. Even in Punjab, the morcha did not give a call to boycott BJP or openly say that BJP candidates should not be allowed in villages. The farmers on the ground decided on their own."

The anger amongst farmers was so palpable in Punjab that the BJP did not win a single parliamentary seat in the state.