Farmers Movement Archive

Can contest as independents if not registered with ECI: Sanyukt Samaj Morcha

Chandigarh : A day after it came into existence, the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM), a political front of 22 farmer unions, on Sunday decided to start the process for registration as a political party with Election Commission of India (ECI). “We have started preparing documents for the registration of the party,” said Prem Singh Bhangu of All India Kisan Federation, a part of 22 organisations. He accepted that registration of parties takes time and further allotment of symbol also involves a procedure, so the SSM doesn’t want to waste time. The 22 organisations that formed the SSM are part of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 32 farm bodies that led agitation against now repealed farm laws. The SSM has decided to contest the upcoming Punjab polls on all 117 assembly constituencies ruling out an alliance or merger with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which was in talks with the farm leaders, particularly Babir Singh Rajewal, who has been declared as leader of the SSM. Bhangu said the SSM constituents will hold a meeting to decide a venue for opening of the party’s office. He said even if the SSM is not registered as a political party, the morcha candidates can contest as independents. BKU Dakounda to meet todayBKU (Dakounda), which has a hold in the Malwa belt, particularly Sangrur, Barnala, Mansa and Bathinda districts, is expected to come in support of the SSM but will not take part in the electoral process. Office-bearers of BKU (Dakounda) will hold a meeting in Barnala on Monday to take a final call, but it has clarified that it would not field its candidates in the upcoming polls. “We will not oppose the SSM because we have a strong association with all the farm bodies,” said organisation general secretary Jagmohan Singh.

Hindustan Times

27-12-2021

Chandigarh