Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Naresh Tikait on Monday said that there is no Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wave in the state like there was during 2017 polls.
The first phase of the 2022 assembly elections will be held in western Uttar Pradesh and all political parties including SP-RLD, BSP, Congress and BJP started campaigning in full swing. This time the focus is on western Uttar Pradesh as the farmer movement has been an important issue and all the opposition parties have been cornering the ruling BJP over it.
Speaking to ANI, Naresh Tikait said, "From 2014 to 2019, we supported BJP but now we will not support any party. Farmers movement went on for 13 months, due to which there is anger of farmers towards BJP. The wave BJP had in 2017 is no longer there now. I am not only talking about western Uttar Pradesh but also about eastern Uttar Pradesh. When we have fight against BJP, then how can we support BJP?"
He further said Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Congress have asked BKU for support while the BJP has also indicated seeking support, but the farmers will vote on the basis of their conscience.
"SP-RLD alliance and Congress sought our support. BSP is also seeking support. When it comes to BJP, Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan had come to ask me about my health. We have not had any political discussions. Although he did not say anything, but coming to meet me to check my wellbeing is only a sign that they need us," Tikait said.
"Rajpal Baliyan, Ashraf Ali and Chandan Chauhan from the RLD-SP alliance came to meet me. Bijender Malik from BSP came to meet me. Everyone is coming for assurance. And I cannot stop anyone from meeting because everyone is from our area," he added.
The polling trends in Western Uttar Pradesh has always had an impact on the final results. In 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP had performed a clean sweep in the region by winning 66 of the 76 seats. And this happened when the Samajwadi Party and the Congress contested the elections in an alliance. SP managed to win four seats while Congress got only two.
The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
( With inputs from ANI )
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