2 BKU factions won't contest Punjab polls

Ludhiana, December 31

Both Lakhowal and Kadian factions of the BKU have today decided not to contest the state Assembly elections.

After a state-level meeting here today, BKU (Lakhowal) president Ajmer Singh Lakhowal said the decision to stay away from electoral politics had been taken on the basis of opinion of majority of the state committee members and the directions of BKU national spokerperson Rakesh Tikait.

Resign to take plunge

If any of the BKU members or office-bearers intends to contest the polls, he or she would be required to resign from the body. —Harmeet Singh Kadian, BKU (Kadian) president

“We (farmer leaders) shall not join or support any political party during the elections but continue to fight to achieve the goals fixed during the farmers’ agitation by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM),” said Lakhowal.

He further said it was the majority opinion that the struggle was not over and it would continue till other demands like formation of a committee to set up a legal framework for the MSP of all crops, martyr status to farmers killed during the agitation and a government jobs to their family, withdrawal of false criminal cases against farmers and punishment to perpetrators of Lakhimpur Kheri incident were met.

On the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab on January 5, he expressed confidence that before his visit the PM would scrap the black list of farm leaders and take a decision of immediate release of Sikhs languishing in jails even after completion of their sentences among others. — OC

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