New 'Samyukta Kisan Morcha' formed to contest 2022 Punjab Assembly polls

Image courtesy: ANI

Chandigarh: A new 'Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM)' is formed to contest Punjab Assembly elections scheduled to be held in 2022, informed farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal here on Saturday.

Addressing media persons, Balbir Singh Rajewal said, "A new 'Samyukta Samaj Morcha' is formed for contesting Punjab Assembly elections. 22 unions have taken this decision. We need to change the system and want to appeal to people to support this morcha."

A new 'Samyukta Samaj Morcha' is formed for contesting Punjab Assembly elections. 22 unions have taken this decision. We need to change the system and want to appeal to people to support this morcha: Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal in Chandigarh pic.twitter.com/VK3ctiVKvk

— ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2021

Balbir Singh Rajewal's is stated to be the face of this Morcha in the upcoming Assembly election in the state.  

Earlier in the day, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) announced that it will not contest the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled to be held in 2022. The leaders of the nine-member coordination committee of the Morcha, Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Dr Darshan Pal, made this announcement.

The farmer leaders said that the SKM, which is a platform of more than 400 different ideological organizations across the country, is formed only on the issues of farmers.

According to the SKM, "There is no call for the boycott of elections and even no understanding of contesting elections. SKM was made by the people to get their rights from the government and after the repeal of three agricultural laws, the struggle has been postponed, the remaining demands will be decided in the meeting to be held on January 15, 2022."

Regarding 32 organizations in Punjab, the leaders quoted by the ANI report said that that there was no consensus on contesting jointly in this assembly election. 

"It has been decided that the individuals or organizations participating in the elections can not use the names of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha or 32 organizations. Doing so will result in disciplinary action," ANI report quoted them as saying.

They also clarified that in front of 32 'organizations, Krantikari Kisan Union (Dr Darshanpal), BKU Krantikari (Surjit Phool), BKU Sidhupur (Jagjit Dallewal), Azad Kisan Committee Doaba (Harpal Sangha), Jai Kisan Andolan (Gurbakhsh Barnala), Dasuha Ganna Sangharsh Committee (Sukhpal Daffar), Kisan Sangharsh Committee Punjab (Inderjit Kotbudha), Lok Bhalai Insaaf Welfare Society (Baldev Sirsa) and Kirti Kisan Union Punjab (Hardev Sandhu) have taken a clear stand against contesting elections.

(With Agency Inputs)