In a meeting held at the Gandhi Bhavan on Friday, representatives of these organisations decided to join hands “unconditionally” under the aegis of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha. A resolution to this effect was passed at the meeting which was attended by K S Puttannaiah, Kadidal Shyamanna, Suresh Babu Patil, Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, Kurubur Shanthakumar, Anasuyamma, Hemanth Kumar Panchale and former President of Karnataka Backward Classes Commission Prof Ravivarma Kumar.

Chukki Nanjundaswamy, son of late Prof M D Nanjundaswamy, who is now in Italy, is said to have given his consent to abide by the decision of the meeting.

Shyamanna, who read out the resolution, stated that farmers’s leaders have decided to revive farmers movement under the aegis of “Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha”.

A seven-member committee has been formed to take measures to implement the resolutions passed at the meeting. The committee includes Rajappa Hadpad and K N Raje Gowda.

Speaking to mediapersons after the meeting, Prof Kumar said that another round of meeting for finalising the merger process would be held next week either in Bangalore or Davanagere. “The merger will be effected in January by organising a big convention of farmers,” he added.

Underscoring the need to revive farmers movement in the state, the meeting decided to have no truck with the mainstream political parties such as Congress, BJP, or JD(S).

The argument put forth by Shyamanna that farmers should play a decisive role in formulating legislations by getting themselves elected to the assembly is said to have received total support from the members present at the meeting.