Gujarat polls: Will unite farmers to counter BJP, says Kisan Sabha

The farmers' organisation is organising a five-day dharna in New Delhi

The CPI-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) on Wednesday said it will chalk out a strategy "to counter" the BJP in the Gujarat assembly elections next month after holding consultations with farmers in the state.

The farmers' organisation, which is organising a five-day dharna in the capital from Wednesday against the alleged "anti-farmer" policies of the central government, has vowed to take its struggle across the country and especially in Gujarat to defeat the BJP in the assembly elections, its leaders said.

"We are having a discussion with the farmers in Gujarat. There, the farmers are saying that the BJP has not done anything for them. We will decide our strategy for the elections with them," AIKS general secretary Atul Anjan said.

The organisation is in touch with the 'Kheru' community of Gujarat and is also trying to bring together farmers from various regions under one umbrella.

Hundreds of farmers from all over the country have come to Delhi for the five-day dharna against the Centre, it said.

The AIKS has alleged that the "government is systematically ignoring the farming community as it wants to grab their land for the corporates".

"Every half an hour one farmer is committing suicide because of growing input cost, depressing marker returns and absence of MSP," the AIKS leader said.

The organisation has demanded that the government immediately implement Swaminathan Committee report and waive pending loans to the farmers.

It has also demanded that the government give a pension of Rs 10,000 per month to the farmers and artisans who are above sixty.

The organisation has decided to meet the president along with other farmer organisations to press for their demands.