Eying the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, farmer leader V M Singh today announced that he would launch a new party on December 23, the 113th birth anniversary of former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh.
"The new organization has nothing to do with votes. It is for empowering farmers, who have been going through difficult times," he told PTI.
Singh, a former MLA who has unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha elections on several occasions, hoped that the new outfit named Kisan party will help farmers rise above caste and religion barriers.
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"It will be a farmer-oriented party. It will not only help farmers but also farm labourers improve their condition.
"In an agrarian society where 70 per cent of people are from rural background, there is not a single party which is working for the upliftment of farmers. It will be the only party in which farmers will be supreme," he said.
Singh said the farmers' plight prompted him to return to active politics.
"While SP supremo Mulayam Singh claims himself to be the dharti putra (son of the soil) and RLD chief Ajit Singh says he represents the legacy of Charan Singh, the farmers' plight is becoming bad to worse and they are committing suicide at the drop of a hat," he said.
Asked about BJP MP Maneka Gandhi, who is related to him, Singh said, "There can be no similarity between us. She protects animals while I hope to empower farmers.
