Farmers Movement Archive

Gurnam Singh Charuni stuck on Punjab polls, names candidate of unnamed party

BATHINDA: Despite objections being raised by farmer organisations of Punjab, Haryana-based farm leader Gurnam Singh Charuni is going ahead with his plan to take the political plunge in Punjab when the state goes to vote next year. Charuni, who heads the Haryana-based Charuni faction of BKU, had announced ‘Mission Punjab’ some months ago, aimed at contesting assembly elections in Punjab. Giving shape to his agenda on Tuesday, Charuni announced a leader who would represent Fatehgarh Sahib assembly segment, saying he will be the candidate after his party is registered. Charuni said they could not expect any welfare from traditional political parties and to get their issues solved, farmers and workers would have to grab power and that could be ensured by contesting elections. On August 10, traders from Punjab and Haryana had assembled in Ludhiana and announced to form a political party, naming it Bhartiya Arthik Party, with Charuni as the chief ministerial face. Irked over it, farmer organisations from Punjab had asked Charuni to stop pursuing ‘Mission Punjab’ on political lines, as farmers awere more concerned about getting their demands of getting farm laws repealed and implementation of a law on MSP. In a meeting on Monday, farm groups had decided to hold a press conference in Chandigarh either on November 11 or 13 to ask Charuni not to go ahead with his agenda. Charuni did not respond despite numerous calls to him through the day. Every time, his support staff said that he was busy in meetings.

The Times of India

2021-11-10

Amritsar