Cast vote to those candidates who can defeat the nominees of the Bharatiya Janata Party, urges Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait on Thursday. Tikait added that it is not the BJP contesting the ongoing election, but "a gang of capitalists" that has captured the country.
Tikait is the national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), which is part of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions.
"Two phases of polling are left. The SKM clearly says that you should vote for a candidate who can defeat the BJP. This is not the BJP's government, but the government of a gang of capitalists. This gang has captured the country and is fighting the election. Nobody is supporting them," Tikait said in a social media post.
In the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections, over 100 constituencies across 10 states and Union territories - Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Chandigarh will go to polls on May 25 and June 1.
"This is a direct election between India's public and this gang. The public is fighting this election. There is no need to worry. Whichever candidate you think can defeat the BJP in your area, vote for that candidate," the farmer leader added.
He noted that there have been instances of "misleading" voters through phone calls in which election-related discussions have been held about some candidates wrongly.
"We do not have any personal issue with anyone specifically. This is what the SKM has to say. Whether it is Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, or the rest of the country, the Morcha has given this guideline that vote for a candidate who can defeat the BJP nominee," Tikait said.
He maintained that the SKM is non-political and stays away from elections.
Tikait said people opt for the NOTA (none of the above) option on the electronic voting machines (EVMs) to express their anger at the government's policies.
"But pressing NOTA directly helps the government. Do not press NOTA, vote for your candidate, and do not be discouraged. This is a people's election and people are fighting this election, whatever the result may be. We should be ready for struggle," he said.
Tikait said whichever party forms the government, the SKM will continue with its issues, such as land acquisition, farm-loan waiver, a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, the implementation of the Swaminathan Committee's recommendations, tribals' rights, pruning of forests, education and healthcare facilities.
"The way a calm sea does not reflect how deep it is, people should also calmly fight this election. Calmness does not mean that the people's anger has ended. Stay patient, and hopeful. The people will win," he added.
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