Punjab Elections: 22 farmer unions join hands to form a political party

At least twenty two farmers’ unions have decided to contest the forthcoming assembly elections in Punjab.

These 22 unions were part of those 32 organisations that had come together under the banner Samyukt Kisan Morcha to fight against the three farms laws that the government had passed.

Their almost a yearlong protest forced the government to repeal the three laws in the recently-concluded the Winter Session of the parliament.

The elections for the state assembly in Punjab are expected to be held somewhere between February and March and these unions have announced to field their candidates on all the 117 seats.

Talking about the reason for launching a political party, one of the farm leaders from the 22 unions said that they believe that if they can force the government to repeal the law after a year-long protest, they can also form a political party, contest and win the elections.

He said after the significant success of the farm movement, there was a view among a large number of farm leaders and farmers to float a political outfit and that’s why these unions joined hands to do so.

They have named this political party Samyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) and at present, it has not decided any political alliance with any other political party.

However, there are speculations that it might collaborate with Arwind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party. The SSM hasn’t made any official statement in this regard. Instead, it has denied any such possibility of any tie-up with the Aam Aadmi Party.