Like Bengal, BJP will be defeated in UP too, says Haryana BKU chief

Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni on Sunday said like West Bengal, the "anti-farmer BJP" will be defeated in Uttar Pradesh too, where assembly polls are due next year.

Chadauni claimed "hatred" towards the BJP has grown among people over the past six months as farmers' concerns about the three farm laws have not been addressed by the party's government at the Centre.

The BKU leader, who led a farmers' march from Ambala to Delhi's Singhu border, was speaking to reporters.

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A large number of farmers in cars, vans and some on two-wheelers gathered at the Shambhu border near Ambala city before leaving for Delhi.

"Like they (BJP) were stopped from coming to power in West Bengal, it is now going to be 'Mission UP' and the BJP's defeat will be ensured," he said.

Last month, the Trinamool Congress romped home in West Bengal, pocketing 213 of the 292 assembly seats that went to polls.

Though the BJP failed to dislodge West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from power, it improved its tally to 77 seats from a measly three in the 2016 state assembly polls.

During the past six months, Chaduni claimed, "the hatred towards the BJP has further grown among the masses". With the farmers' demand for the repeal of the farm laws not being addressed, the party's "insensitive face has come to the fore".

He said farmers had held 'mahapanchayats' in West Bengal and other states that went to polls earlier this year. Now it is going to be "Mission UP".

Chaduni claimed 2,500 to 3,000 vehicles from Ambala took part in Sunday's march. In the coming days, more farmers from other parts of Haryana will head to Delhi borders, where peasants have been camping since November last year to demand the repeal of the contentious agricultural laws.

"This movement is going strong. The government is mistaken if it thinks that the agitation has weakened," he said.

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BKU's Ambala district unit president Malkit Singh said there is widespread resentment among farmers against the Centre over its refusal to withdraw the farm laws.

The agitating farmers have been demanding that the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for their crops.

The government has maintained the laws are pro-farmer and will usher in new technology in farming.

Several rounds of talks between the farmers and the government have failed to break the deadlock over these contentious laws.

The government last held talks with farmer leaders on January 22. The talks between the two sides came to a halt after a January 26 tractor parade by farmers in Delhi turned violent.