E-Paper
Tikait: SKM won’t fight any polls, no link to those joining the fray
On the farmers’ group forming a political front in Punjab, Tikait said, “We are holding a meeting on January 15 and we will talk about this then.”
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of farmer unions that spearheaded the yearlong agitation against the three agriculture laws, will not contest any elections and those contesting have nothing to do with us, farmer leader and Rakesh Tikait said on Sunday.
The development comes a day after 22 farmer unions, that protested against the Centre’s now-repealed farm laws under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), formed a political front -- the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) -- to contest the 2022 Punjab assembly elections.
Reacting to the announcement at an event in Jaipur, Tikait said: “I am not joining politics and Samyukt Kisan Morcha is not contesting any elections. Those who are contesting are doing it in their individual capacity... Those who are contesting have nothing to do with us. Ours is not a political manch (platform).”
On the farmers’ group forming a political front in Punjab, Tikait said, “We are holding a meeting on January 15 and we will talk about this then.”
He, however, said that the farmers will play the role of kingmakers in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections.
