Bharat Bandh On December 8: AAP, Congress Among Opposition Parties Supporting Nationwide Strike

In a bid to mount pressure on the Centre, leaders of unions representing farmers who are protesting against the three new contentious farm laws, have called for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ on December 8.

Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, are staging a sit-in protest at various borders of Delhi since November 26.

The farmers are demanding a complete rollback of the new farm laws and a guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system being retained. The fifth round of talks with the central government also ended in a stalemate on December 5. Representatives from farmers’ unions will again meet union ministers on December 9.

Thus, the planned nationwide strike on December 8 is pegged as a major show of strength ahead of the next round of talks.

The protests and the calls for Bharat Bandh have found support of opposition political parties across the country.

Follow LIVE updates of the farmers' protest here

Here are political parties supporting the December 8 Bharat Bandh call:

AAP: With thousands of protesting farmers at its border points, the national capital is expected to be the epicentre on the strike. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party has extended its support to the strike. Kejriwal, who is also AAP’s national convener, said all AAP workers across the country will support the strike and appealed to all citizens to support the farmers. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai is scheduled to join the protest.

"This is not just the farmers’ fight but the fight for all countrymen. India is an agricultural country and if farmers are unhappy then the country is affected. I appeal to all to join the protest," Rai said, in a video message.

Congress: The Indian National Congress has expressed its "whole-hearted" support to the nationwide strike. The party said that it will hold protestson December 8 at all district and state headquarters in solidarity with the farmers.

NCP: Former union minister Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party, which is also a part of the state’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, also extended support to the shutdown. Maharashtra NCP unit chief Jayant Patil said in a statement that party workers will join the strike.

TRS: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi on December 6 also extended support to calls for Bharat Bandh. TRS chief and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao said party leaders will actively participate in the strike to ensure its success.

Trinamool Congress: West Bengal’s ruling All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has extended its "moral support" to the bandh and said it would stage sit-ins for three days.

Left Parties: The Left Front has extended its support to the bandh. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) made the announcement in a joint statement.

DMK: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led opposition bloc in Tamil Nadu has also extended support to the bandh, saying the farmers’ demand for repealing of the three legislations was "totally justified." The MK Stalin-led bloc appealed to farmers' unions, traders' bodies, government employees' associations, labour unions and others in Tamil Nadu to extend "grand support" to the strike make it a success.

AIUDF: Member of Parliament (MP) Badruddin Ajmal's All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) is among 14 opposition parties in Assam supporting the strike.

A number of other regional political parties, including former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), have also extended their support to the protesting farmers.

Additionally, a joint forum is of 10 central trade unions – Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) are supporting the protests.