The end of the agitation over three agricultural laws is going to test the unity of farmer unions in Punjab ahead of the assembly elections.
Despite differences on ideologies and issues, over 32 farmer unions in the state had to come together under public pressure to oppose the three agricultural laws. The pressure worked and despite the initial cracks, the farmers’ unions largely focused on the core agenda and won a victory that at one time seemed impossible. All eyes are now on how they will stick together to decide their strategy for the assembly elections.
“We will think about elections after offering prayers at the Golden Temple. Our party, Revolutionary Marxist Party of India, used to contest elections in the past. This time we are ready for a new formation. This movement was anti-capitalist and all the leaders have fought against capitalism. So we will have no problem in learning from experiences and forming new alliances for elections,” Kulwant Singh Sandhu of Jamhoori Kisan Sabha had said.
different perspective on politics
Balbir Singh Rajewal of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal) has emerged as a big leader during the farmers’ movement. He has enjoyed political ties with the SAD, Congress and AAP in the past.
There are also agricultural bodies such as the Kirti Kisan Union affiliated with the CPI (ML) New Democracy, which has its own political party active in electoral politics. The Bharatiya Kisan Union Ugrahan, one of the largest farmer unions in Malwa, has taken a principled stand to stay away from electoral politics, although their cadre is multifaceted and comes from all mainstream political parties.
Jagmohan Singh, general secretary of BKU Dakhonda, said, “It is in our constitution that no office-bearer shall contest or support anyone in the election. It is clear that we are not going to be a part of any political formation of farmer unions for the Punjab Assembly elections. We oppose any such idea.”
Chaduni tests the waters
Despite being from Haryana, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni has managed to organize impressive road shows and rallies in Punjab with the promise of providing a political alternative to the people even before the three agricultural laws are withdrawn. Some farmer activists had organized a big rally for Chaduni in Majha’s Valtoha earlier this year.
BKU Haryana President Gurnam Singh Chaduni. (express file)
The organizers did not invite any leader of the farmers’ unions of Punjab merely to say that they were only interested in those farmer leaders who were clear about participating in electoral politics. Unlike Chaduni, none of the farmers’ unions of Punjab were in a position to make any commitment regarding electoral politics until the agrarian laws were withdrawn and this was the reason why the farmers’ unions were encouraged to take political steps. also faced opposition.
However, according to sources, now after the end of the agricultural movement, many farmers’ unions are showing interest in jumping into electoral politics. A big face of the United Kisan Morcha was already in talks Aam Aadmi Party, Also, some people say that farmers’ unions should form their own party and contest elections.
“I have come to know that some farmer leaders are aspiring to become the CM. They can contest elections. But we are not going to support them. We have always exposed the anti-people character of political parties in the past too,” Joginder Singh Ugrahan said during an interaction with the media.
divide left in and out
About 15 Kisan Sanghs are from Left background and are further divided into different Left ideologies. It will be interesting to see how unions with Left background join hands with non-Left federations for the assembly elections.
Asked whether the Left Farmers’ Union would be comfortable working out an election strategy with non-Left leaders like Balbir Singh Rajewal, Kulwant Singh Sandhu said, “Rajewal and everyone else has fought against capitalism in this movement. There should be no problem in coming with him.” Jagjit Singh Dallewal of BKU Sidhupur, when asked whether he would support any political party born out of the farmers’ movement, said, “I have never supported any political party before. Didn’t and never will in future.”
However, Rajewal, while replying to a question on Dhalewal on Wednesday, said that Dhalewal was an RSS man. “Dallewal is associated with the RSS’s Bharatiya Kisan Sangh,” Rajewal said. Similarly, Kirti Kisan Union leader Rajinder Deep had recently alleged in an interview with a Punjabi web channel that Yoginder Yadav was an RSS figure in the agricultural movement and that Yadav’s conspiracies were foiled by Rajinder’s union. Yadav also has a political party, Swaraj India.
Facial crunch with central authority
Many non-Left peasant leaders have been in open alliance with one or the other political party in the past and the parties have also benefited from their support. It will be interesting to see whether these leaders give up their political past to form new ones with other rival farmer unions and how the established political parties react to moving away from such farmer leaders.
options and limitations
The options for unions looking to jump into electoral politics may be many but there is a limited time before the assembly elections. This will be the biggest hurdle in deciding whether to join an established political party or form an alliance. However, the biggest question is whether the Kisan Sangh can take a unanimous decision on their political move?
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