INLD to boycott municipal poll in support of farmers: Abhay Chautala

Amid the ongoing farmers' agitation against the three new Central agri laws, the Indian National Lok Dal Monday announced it will "boycott" the upcoming municipal polls in Haryana in protest against the "atrocities" being allegedly committed on farmers by the Centre and the state's BJP-JJP governments.

Elections to the municipal bodies in Haryana are scheduled to be held on December 27.

Senior INLD leader and party MLA Abhay Singh Chautala in a statement issued here alleged BJP ministers are "insulting" the protesting farmers by calling them "terrorists and traitors".

He said his party has taken the decision to boycott the municipal polls in protest "against the atrocities being carried out by the Centre and the state governments on the 'Annadata' (the farmers)".

"The manner in which the BJP governments at the Centre and the state are ignoring the farmers is extremely painful and condemnable," he said.

He further said the BJP-JJP coalition government in Haryana "looted the farmers in the name of moisture cut on their crops in the mandis and then bought the crop of farmers at a lower price than the MSP (Minimum Support Price)".

"Today, farmers across the country are agitating against the three black agricultural laws made by the central government, but the BJP-led government's ministers are insulting them by calling them terrorists and traitors," he alleged.

The INLD leader the BJP-JJP government in the state is going to hold elections at a time when it has been 18 days for the country's farmers sitting in protest near Delhi's borders with their demands including repealing of the three agri laws.

He also alleged the state government has been taking various "anti-farmer" decisions.

Chautala said his party stands shoulder-to-shoulder with farmers, and he asked the Centre to accept their demands.

Nomination papers for the December 27 municipal elections can be filed between December 11 and 16, while the results will be declared on December 30.

The elections will be held for the seats of mayor and councillors of Ambala, Panchkula and Sonipat municipal corporations; the president and members of the Rewari municipal council; and municipal committees of Sampla in Rohtak, Dharuhera in Rewari) and Ukalana in Hisar districts, state poll officials had earlier said.

The BJP-JJP combine is contesting the polls together. The Congress too is fighting these elections.