Lucknow: Asserting the Hindu-Muslim polarisation won’t work in Uttar Pradesh this time, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait has said the voters will favour only those talking about the welfare of farmers.
Tikait, who was a prominent face of the year-long stir against the three farm laws at Delhi borders, said polarisation on religious lines in Uttar Pradesh would not benefit those indulging in it.
“The (election) issues are farmers, unemployed youth and inflation for the middle class. But efforts are being made to polarise Hindu-Muslim voters through regular statements on Jinnah and Pakistan,” Tikait told PTI in an interview earlier on Friday.
“But this will not work out for those doing it and will instead harm them,” he added.
Asserting the farmers are “going through troubled times” in Uttar Pradesh, Tikait said: “Not only farmers here get less value for their produce, they are also forced to pay exorbitant rates of electricity.”
Responding to a poser on whether he would campaign against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh, Tikait said that he had no such plans.
“I am not a politician. I stay away from political parties. I only talk about the issues of farmers and urge people to question their leaders,” said Tikait.
“I will continue to raise the issue of farmers,” he added.
The Bharatiya Kisan Union leader, however, refused to predict the upcoming assembly elections’ winner, but claimed that the farmers were not happy with the present regime and this will reflect in the results.
“I cannot comment on where the election is headed or which party will come out victorious. However, the farmers I meet are not happy with the current state of affairs,” said Tikait.
“What further troubles them is that their children have no avenues of employment. I think the farmers and locals will keep these things in mind when they vote,” he added.
Urging the people to keep an eye on the activities of the District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police during the counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh, Tikait said “these officers may favour the government in power”.
“I think voters will favour those who are not against farmers. They will support those who are not polarising Hindu and Muslim voters,” said Tikait when asked how the BJP would perform in western Uttar Pradesh after the alliance between the Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).
“The people will favour those who talk about their issues and not only about Pakistan and Jinnah,” he added.
Voting for the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly will be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7.
The counting of votes will be held on March 10.