Will march towards Kolkata to urge farmers to defeat BJP: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait will be in Kolkata today. The farmer leader said on Wednesday that he will go to Kolkata to urge farmers to defeat the BJP in the West Bengal Assembly elections. 

However, he has claimed that he is not supporting any political party in the Assembly elections. Tikait further stated that farmers are distressed, and election will be discussed with them, adding that he is not going to West Bengal to seek votes.

"I will go to Kolkata on March 13. The clarion call for a decisive struggle will come from Kolkata. We will talk to farmers there and urge them to defeat the BJP," the BKU leader said.

Rakesh Tikait's statement comes during the addressing of a 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district.

Tikait clarified that he had no plans of visiting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata.

The farmer leader said a call has already been made to defeat the BJP in the five Assembly elections scheduled to begin from March 27, but asserted that he would not support any political party.

Way back in February 18, during a farmers' meeting in Hisar, Rakesh Tikait said, "Farmers are camping in Delhi for the past three months. Govt thought farmers would return within two months. We'll not return. We'll reap our crops and march towards Kolkata. Be ready to stay away from your home for a month to go to Kolkata."

The farm unions have demanded that the government must 'immediately' resolve the farmers' issues or they will intensify the agitation and mobilise more farmers for support.