Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni said he will not contest the polls in Punjab. (File)
Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni on Saturday floated his political party to contest the Punjab Assembly polls next year and batted for opium farming in the state. The farmer leader told reporters in Chandigarh that their aim is to "purify" politics and bring good people forward.
Mr Chaduni was a member of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farm unions that led an over a year-long farmers' agitation against the Centre's three agriculture laws, which have now been repealed.
"We are launching the Sanyukt Sangharsh Party," he told the media, adding that it will contest the Punjab Assembly polls.
"Our objective will be to purify politics and bring good people forward," said Mr Chaduni, who is also the president of the Haryana Bhartiya Kisan Union.
Replying to a query, Mr Chaduni said he will not contest the polls in Punjab.
On entering into an alliance with any party, he said there is no decision yet in this regard but his party will try to contest all 117 Assembly seats in the state.
He stressed on bringing changes in the farming sector in the state for creating more employment opportunities and sowing crops like flowers that have demand in the international market.
He also batted for opium farming in Punjab. "If opium farming is allowed, Punjab can progress a lot," he said.
On the occasion, he slammed political leaders, saying they frame policies in "favour of capitalists while ignoring interests of the poor".
Politics is responsible for the "capturing of the country by capitalists" and also for making it difficult for a common man to fulfil his basic needs, the farmer leader asserted.
He said there is a need to bring a change and to oust those people who are "looting" the country.
The Sanyukt Sangharsh Party will be a secular one, he said, adding that it will work for the welfare of all sections of society.
Farming business starting from sowing till the produce reaches consumers should be in farmers' hands, he said. PTI CHS VSD RDK RDK
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)