Senior BKU leader parts ways, forms ‘apolitical’ farmer outfit

Fissures within the Bharatiya Kisan Union came out in the open on the death anniversary of its founder president Mahendra Singh Tikait on Sunday, with a senior national office-bearer announcing the formation of a separate outfit here.

BKU vice-president Rajesh Chauhan said he took the decision after being “insulted” and alleged the outfit sided with political parties in the elections, an apparent reference to this year’s UP Assembly polls. His outfit will be called the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Arajnaitik), Chauhan said. “Arajnaitik” means apolitical in Hindi.

A senior office-bearer of the new outfit, Harinaam Singh, told PTI Chauhan announced the formation of the outfit in Lucknow on the death anniversary of farmer leader Mahendra Singh Tikait. “Chauhan will be heading the BKU (A),” he said. At an event, Chauhan alleged he from time to time tried to put forward his opinion but was ignored.

Senior BKU leaders Naresh Tikait and Rakesh Tikait “neither listen to workers nor pay any attention to problems of farmers”, he alleged.

“They have got into bad company and insulted us in one or the other way. I wholeheartedly supported Naresh Tikait and Rakesh Tikait but when the elections came, they deviated from the ideal of Mahendra Singh Tikait,” Chauhan alleged.

“They ventured into a political mess and had made this organisation a puppet in the hands of political parties. I was extremely saddened and pained by this,” Chauhan said. “Rakesh Tikait was influenced by political parties. He campaigned for one party, while opposed the other party,” Chauhan said but did not name any political party. About the BKU (A), he only abided by the decision of workers and farmers.