Will boycott Punjab Assembly poll: BKU (Krantikari)

Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 23

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (Krantikari) has decided to boycott voting in the Assembly elections scheduled to be held in the state on February 20.

In a statement, the union, joined by the Lok Sangram Morcha, Punjab, the Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union, Punjab, the Azad Kisan Committee, Doaba, the Students for Society and the Democratic Students’ Organisation, informed that they would neither support any political party nor cast vote in the elections.

Ranjit Singh Swazpur, Patiala district president of the BKU (Krantikari), said, “We have decided to stay away from votes and elections this time. The decisions were taken during state-level meetings held recently.”

Union leaders alleged that all political outfits were equal in respect to neglecting public welfare. Citing the over a year-long protest on Delhi borders, they said the protest was successful because of the support of people from all walks of life and since the unions kept themselves away from political parties.

They pointed out that political parties were ignorant when it came to the issues of farming sector, land ownership and oppression of various classes of people. They alleged, “These parties want people to think only about freebies, including electricity and water.”

Gurdhian Singh Dhanna of the BKU (Krantikari) said, “Neither will we cast vote, nor will support any political party in the upcoming elections.” —

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