Insufficient Unity Among Farmers Movement Impacts Haryana Election Results, Says SKM

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) expressed concern over the lack of unity among worker and farmer movements in Haryana. This disunity, they said, hindered efforts to challenge the BJP effectively in the recent elections. The SKM, known for leading the 2020 farmers' protests, highlighted lessons from these election results.

Despite a majority voting against the BJP's policies, opposition parties failed to unseat it due to internal conflicts. The SKM emphasised that a stronger network across villages is necessary to unite people against the BJP's governance. They called for greater unity among farmer organisations to address this issue.

Opposition's Shortcomings

The SKM criticised opposition parties for not including crucial issues in their manifestos. They noted the absence of a legal guarantee for minimum support prices (MSP) and comprehensive loan waivers for farmers. Additionally, there was no mention of minimum wages and social security for workers, which limited their appeal.

The SKM pointed out that 60.1% of voters opposed the BJP, despite its claims of growing support. The BJP secured only 39.9% of the votes, down from 46% in the Lok Sabha elections. The SKM urged people to recognise attempts by RSS-BJP to divide workers and farmers along caste and religious lines.

Efforts to Mobilise Support

The SKM and Central Trade Unions organised various campaigns to rally support against the BJP. These included the Kisan-Mazdoor Mahapanchayat at Hisar and village-level meetings. They also observed Bhagat Singh's birth anniversary as anti-corporate day as part of their campaign.

These initiatives helped gather significant support from workers and farmers against the BJP's pro-corporate stance. The SKM congratulated Haryana's people for reducing BJP's vote share, despite predictions favouring a Congress victory.

Election Outcomes

The BJP won 48 seats with a 39.94% vote share in Haryana's 90-member assembly. Meanwhile, Congress secured 37 seats with a 39.09% vote share. Haryana was a key centre for ongoing farmer agitations, yet Congress lost despite expectations.

The SKM stressed that efforts must continue to reach all working people unaware of the agrarian crisis and unemployment caused by pro-corporate policies. They aim to unite these groups against such policies pursued by the BJP-led government.