Rakesh Tikait denies support to any political party or alliance in upcoming polls

Prayagraj: National spokesman of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Rakesh Tikait has denied the reports of the Union extending support to any political party in the run-up to the assembly elections in five states.

Mr Tikait, who arrived at Magh Mela to attend a three-day 'Chintan Shivir' of farmers at Parade Ground, said on Tuesday, "We will not support anyone in this election."

On Sunday, Naresh Tikait had appealed for support to Rashtriya Lok Dal-Samajwadi Party alliance in the UP polls. However, he later withdrew his statement. The BKU chief said that Kisan Samyukt Morcha is supreme and he shouldn't have made such statements.

Interacting with media persons, Rakesh said farmers and he had come to Magh Mela to deliberate on the problems of the farmers. "There will be no talk of politics here. Nor will farmers be asked to vote for any party," he said. Tikait expressed his displeasure against the state government on the question of the amount being sent to the farmers' accounts under direct benefit transfer scheme and the BJP's promise doubling their income, which, he alleged remained unfulfilled.

"During the nationwide farmers' agitation, the government had promised to form a committee. That has not been done. In the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, several of our people were sent to jail and MoS Home Ajay Kumar Mishra is still on his post. This is a big issue. There are issues with the procurement of grains. These were the topics that were discussed," Rakesh Tikait said.

He also said that the "biggest victory" of the 13-months of farmers' agitation against (now repealed) three agricultural laws is that the political parties "now think about them."