UP Polls: Farmers' body BKU backs SP-RLD alliance nominees in 'Jatland'

In a significant development, the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) – which was at the forefront of the agitation against the now-scrapped farm laws – has officially endorsed the nominees of the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance in western Uttar Pradesh. The endorsement could drastically alter the electoral scene in the 'Jat' dominated region.

BKU president Naresh Tikait not only made an appeal to the people to ensure victory for the SP-RLD alliance in the forthcoming assembly polls, but also handed over the symbol authority letters to two alliance nominees at Kisan Bhavan at Sisouli on Saturday.

The two alliance nominees, who were handed over the symbol authority letters, included Rajpal Baliyan from Buldhana seat and Chandan Chauhan from Meerapur seat in Muzaffarnagar district which will go to the polls in the first phase of voting on February 10. The BKU also lent support to another alliance nominee, Ashraf Ali from Thana Bhavan seat also in the same district.

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"It is a question of our rights....we must ensure victory of the alliance nominees in the region....talk to those who oppose them," Tikait said while addressing a meeting of the farmers on this occasion.

Tikait also explained to the farmers about the farmers' agitation and said that their unity had forced the centre to scrap the anti-farmer farm laws.

Sources said that the SP-RLD alliance had earlier offered a nomination to BKU leader Rakesh Tikait and after his refusal proposed the name of Gaurav Tikait, the son of Naresh Tikait. However, Naresh too refused to take the plunge.

According to sources, the BKU has decided to reach out to farmers and other people in different parts of the state to persuade them to oppose the BJP in the forthcoming assembly polls.

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The decision of the BKU to support the SP-RLD alliance nominees in 'Jatland' appears to have dashed the hopes of the BJP to win back the support of the farmers by scrapping the farm laws.

BKU's support to the Muslim nominee of the alliance indicated that the pre-2013 Muzaffarnagar communal riot electoral equations that comprised Muslims and Jats was back in the electoral arena. RLD had reaped rich electoral dividends in the region by riding on its support base among the Muslims and Jats.

The riots in Muzaffarnagar in 2013 in which 60 people were killed and thousands of others displaced had dealt a body blow to the unity of the two communities. As a result, the RLD was nearly wiped out from the region, while the BJP made tremendous gains.

The decision also assumes significance as it has come amid the announcement of launching of 'Mission UP' from February 1 by the Sayunkt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella organisation of the farmers' unions across the country – which spearheaded the farmers' agitation.

The SKM leaders would also be holding their meeting in Lakhimpur Kheri, where four farmers had died after being run over by a vehicle allegedly driven by union minister Ajai Mishra's son Ashish a few months back.

Sources said that SKM leaders would press for the sacking of Ajai Mishra from the Union cabinet, but BJP leaders, apparently fearing a backlash from the electorally influential Brahmin voters, have refused to concede to the demand.

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