Inside story of Mamta-Tikait meeting: TMC will surround the government in Parliament and farmers- Till now, the farmers’ movement, which has been fueled by non-political demonstration, has started getting political colour and brightness. In the Bengal assembly elections, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait has already campaigned against the BJP. Now he will campaign against BJP in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections also. Along with this, he will also prepare a political platform for Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the farmers’ dharna site, where the dharna is going on for the last 7 months.
Both the leaders have assured support each other. All this discussion happened during the meeting between the two in Kolkata on 9 June. In this Didi made it clear that we will raise the issue of farmers in Parliament and Tikait said that farmers will campaign against BJP in every district of UP.
Mamta’s spirits are high after the victory in Bengal. Now she is working on a plan to establish a foothold in other states as well. There are assembly elections in 5 states next year. The biggest bet will be played in Uttar Pradesh and Mamta has also started preparations for this. Trinamool’s priority here is Dalit, Backward, Women and Farmers.
Mamta-Tikait meeting schedule kept secret
Keeping her priority in mind, Mamta met farmer leader Tikait. Sources told Bhaskar that Mamta had sent an invitation to Rakesh Tikait through a local farmers’ organization to visit Bengal. The schedule of this meeting was kept so secret that even the Bharatiya Kisan Union did not make any statement about it in advance. Actually, Didi’s message was that the news should not be spread before the meeting.
How strong the Kisan Force will be against the BJP in Uttar Pradesh can be gauged from the leaders involved in the meeting with Mamta. Local farmers’ organization West Bengal, Tejinder Singh Bal, Convenor of Farmers Coordination Committee, Rakesh Tikait, President of Bharatiya Kisan Union, Yudhveer Singh, farmer leader of Bharatiya Kisan Union were present in this meeting. However, Tejinder said that this meeting was not organized by Didi, but by our organization.
A separate platform for Mamta will be built at the protest site
Rakesh Tikait has given his consent to prepare the farmer movement which was being called non-political till now, as Mamta’s political platform. Tejinder Singh, who was present in the meeting, told Bhaskar that Mamta’s platform would be different from the one made for farmers’ leaders.
Apart from this, Mamta Banerjee is also talking to non-BJP ministers. A decision will be taken on preparing Mamta’s political platform only after the situation of Corona in Delhi gets better. But if this does not reduce, then a virtual platform will be ready for Mamta Banerjee.
Sources said that the talks between Tikait and Mamta lasted for about an hour. In this, Mamta talked about campaigning against the BJP in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections from Tikait. He also thanked Tikait for campaigning against the BJP in Bengal and also spoke of supporting the farmers’ movement from Parliament to the road.
Tikait also said that he will play his role in the UP elections. However, Tikait did not meet Didi as the leader of the United Kisan Morcha formed for the peasant movement. He met this as a leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union.
Plan made for UP
Sources said that from now on, Mamta has advised to organize farmers in UP and put them in the campaign.
If Trinamool will enter the UP elections, then Corona will include mismanagement, farmers, women, Dalits, most backward classes prominently in the manifesto.
Tikait has assured Didi that he will take the injustice done against the farmers in every district of UP as well as the shortcomings of the health system during Corona among the people.
Farmer organizations will organize meetings in panchayats by forming small teams. Will explain the issues, show the report card of BJP’s failure. Possibly around Deepawali, farmer organizations will start meetings.
From the end of June to October, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) will hold discussions and concrete planning with all the farmer organizations regarding the strategy of campaigning against the BJP.
In Uttar Pradesh, efforts are being made to contact such industrial houses, whose business has come to a standstill. Apart from giving them land at cheap prices by calling them to Bengal, planning is also going on to provide other facilities.
Mamta trying to harm Mayawati
According to sources, the Trinamool Congress is in touch with several leaders of the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh. Satish Chandra Mishra, a very close friend of Mayawati, is also included in this. It is not yet clear whether Trinamool is on the lookout for its ally or will contest the elections alone.
A top Trinamool leader says that our first priority is to establish roots in these states. We feel that by contesting elections with an ally, we can challenge the ruling party. For this there will be no objection to the alliance at all.
There is still dissatisfaction with the meeting
Some disgruntled farmers of the United Kisan Morcha, on the condition of anonymity, said that during the elections in Bengal, the campaign of Tikait against the BJP was also done on the invitation of Didi. The tussle between the farmers’ organizations also started from here. Some farmer organizations said that we should not do politics. Stay away from election campaign.
