Farmers to hit campaign trail in West Bengal from Friday

Farmers agitating against the farm laws are taking their battle against the BJP government to poll-bound West Bengal beginning Friday.

The leading lights of the three-month-old farmers’ agitation on Delhi borders will now hit the campaign trail in West Bengal with an appeal to the voters to defeat those who speak in favour of the farm laws.

According to the schedule released by Sanyukta Kisan Morcha, the umbrella organisation for the farmers’ agitation, farmer leaders Rakesh Tikait, Darshan Pal, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Gurnam Singh Chaduni and Yogendra Yadav will test the political waters in the state that is witnessing a triangular fight between Trinamool Congress, Left Front-Congress alliance and the BJP.

The farmer leaders were scheduled to address public meetings in Kolkata, Nandigram and Singur during a three-day visit beginning Friday. The farmers expect to strike a chord to their demand for the repeal of farm laws in two states — Tamil Nadu and West Bengal which had witnessed farmers’ movements in the past.

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The farmers’ agitation began on the borders of the national capital on November 26 with the primary demand for the repeal of the three farm laws and shelving of the amendments to the Electricity Act.

The farmers have held 11 rounds of talks with the Modi government, which has rejected the demand for the repeal of the laws but offered to suspend their implementation for 18 months as they try to convince the protesters of the benefits of the reforms.

BJP is seeking to make inroads in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, while retaining power in Assam.