Farmer unions protesting against the Centre’s three farm laws took out a ‘ashes yatra’ of four farmers and a journalist who were among eight people killed in Lakhimpur Kheri violence, at poll bound Ellenabad on Thursday.
Indian National Lok Dal (INLD)’s Abhay Singh Chautala is pitted against BJP’s Gobind Kanda and Congress’s Pawan Beniwal in the assembly seat.
Abhay, who is seeking a fourth consecutive term from Ellenabad, paid homage to the Lakhimpur Kheri victims when their ashes reached Ellenabad.
“Innocent farmers were crushed down by a car owned by Union minister of state for home affairs Ajay Mishra’s son. The minister should resign from his post. The Union government has failed to address farmers’ issues and despite the latter sitting on borders for a year,” he added.
Bharatiya Kisan Union youth state president Ravi Azad said the ‘ashes yatra’ of the deceased farmers has covered nearly 35 villages of Ellenabad on Thursday and will cover the entire constituency by Saturday.
“We are organising meetings in villages and urging people to vote against BJP-JJP nominee Gobind Kanda in Ellenabad bypolls. We are not campaigning in favour of any candidate but against the BJP-JJP nominee as they have failed to resolve farmers’ grievances,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“We are organising meetings in villages and urging people to vote against BJP-JJP nominee Gobind Kanda in Ellenabad bypolls. We are not campaigning in favour of any candidate but against the BJP-JJP nominee as they have failed to resolve farmers’ grievances,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Senior leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha will hold village-level meetings in Ellenabad from October 23 to 28 and urge voters to forfeit the security deposit of Kanda,” he added.
Abhay slams ex-CM Hooda
A day after former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda hit the campaign trail in Ellenabad, INLD nominee Abhay Singh Chautala slammed Hooda for referring to Sirsa MLA Gopal Kanda a friend.
“Instead of helping his own party’s nominee, Hooda helped Kanda by terming him a friend. I want to make it clear that both the Congress and the BJP nominees will lose their security deposit in the bypolls and it will be a victory for the farmers,” he added.
Former three-time MLA Rampal Majra, who had quit BJP in support of farmers protesting against the three farm laws, campaigned in favour of Abhay.
“This is a battle of farmers and Abhay’s win will be a referendum against the three farm laws. It is surprising that JJP chief Ajay Chautala, who was seeking justice for an air hostess in a suicide case and demanding arrest of the then Haryana minister Gopal Kanda, is canvassing for Gobind Kanda. Ajay has lost all morality,” Majra added.