NEW DELHI: The protesting farmers have planned a mega rally in Lucknow on November 22, to send out their message across Uttar Pradesh, just before the state goes full swing into the campaign mode for the upcoming assembly polls early next year.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body coordinating 500 plus protesting farmers groups against the three farm laws passed by the Centre last year, decided to hold the mega kisan rally in Lucknow towards the end of November when the busy harvest season gets over and farmers are free to participate in full strength in the movement.
The farmers have been sitting at the Delhi borders, on a dharna since November 26, 2020 demanding repeal of the three legislations passed by the Centre.
The Lucknow rally is being held around the time the Delhi blockade completes one year.
Taking their movement forward, the SKM has been campaigning “against voting for BJP” in all the poll-bound states.
Five states including UP and Punjab — where the farmers agitation has the most groundswell — go for assembly elections in the next round of elections.
Earlier, the Lucknow rally was planned for October end, but it was decided to defer it to November end so that harvest season does not come in the way.
Meanwhile, mahapanchayats are being held across 75 districts in the state by farmer leaders like Rakesh Tikait among others, to campaign against the ruling BJP in the state and at the Centre and to highlight the issues for which the farmers are agitating.
The Lakhimpur Kheri incident where farmers and others were killed, has further agitated the farmers.