In an attempt to project an independent face, the UNPA on Tuesday said that it is not just a ?B team? of the Left and it has its own policies and agendas. The front of four major regional parties have also said that it would take up the issues of farmers, a pet subject of the Left parties.
The UNPA leaders, however, said that they will continue to associate with the Left on important ?people?s issues.?? They also said that the recently announced farmers? policy of the UPA government does not address the ?real issues? of farmers.
The Left parties did not attend a farmer rally organised by the UNPA at Vijayawada last month. Both the CPI and the CPI(M) cancelled to send party leaders to address the rally at last minute, in a cold response to the UNPA?s open call for forming the third front. The Left parties are of the opinion that the time has not ripened for the front.
??It is not that we always follow the Left?s strategies. It is mutual understanding. In the nuclear deal issue we supported them. And we hope they will support us on farmers? issues,?? UNPA convener Chandrababu Naidu told a press conference.
The front leaders told reporters on the sidelines of a one-day seminar that without the farmers? consent, no farming land should be taken over for industrial purposes. ??In UP also we had taken over land with farmers? consent. This could be a model for all,?? UNPA leader Mulayam Singh Yadav told the press conference.
“We are holding protest sit-ins at every state centers against the Centre government’s farmers’ policies. In the coming days we will organise programmes at Luckonow, Jaipur and Ranchi,” he added.
The UNPA also demanded the government to confer Bharat Ratna to eminent agricultural scientist and Rajya Sabha MP MS Swaminathan.