Farmer Bodies In Punjab Urge Political Parties To Suspend Poll Campaign

Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal, who presided over the meeting, said Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders said they will consult their party leadership before announcing their decision.

Farmer bodies protesting the Centre's agriculture laws on Friday appealed to political parties to suspend their election campaign till the schedule for the Punjab Assembly polls is out so that the focus remains on their agitation. Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal, who presided over the meeting, said Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders said they will consult their party leadership before announcing their decision. The Congress delegation was led by its Punjab unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. In a tweet after the meeting, Mr Sidhu said, "Had a positive meeting with Samyukt Kisan Morcha ... Discussed the way forward !!" Apart from the two parties, representatives of AAP, BSP, Lok Insaaf Party and the SAD (Sanyukt) took part in the meeting, for which the invite was not sent to the BJP for the party's pro-farm laws stand.