Setback for Tikaits as BKU undergoe split after reported infightings among members

LUCKNOW: In a major development, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) which was one of the front runner farmers’ union to have spearheaded the 13-month long farmers’ stir on the Delhi border, witnessed rebellion by a group of office bearers who detached themselves from the union and announced formation of a separate outfit named BKU (non-political)  here on Sunday.

The development took place at an event organized by BKU to pay homage to union’s founder Chaudhury Mahendra Singh Tikait on his death anniversary in Lucknow.

The new outfit unanimously elected Rajesh Singh Chauhan as the outfit's national president. Chauhan had been the national vice-president of the parent BKU. 

The other office-bearers of the new body include BKU old-timers, leaving out the two Tikait brothers  – Rakesh Tikait , the national spokesman of parent BKU and Naresh Tiakit , the president of the body. Rakesh Tikait, who took an active part in the farmers' protest, had been quite vocal not only about the farmers’ issues but also the political issues.

However, reacting to the development, Rakesh Tikait pointed finger at ruling BJP accusing it of orchestrating the rebellion in the group. 

He claimed that as many as 10 such separate organisations were existing in UP alone.

Meanwhile, the BKU (non-political) elected Rajesh Singh Malik as its chairman while Mangeram Tyagi as vice-president. Anil Talan has been given the post of national general secretary and Dharmendra Malik is the national spokesperson. 

Bindu Kumar has been made the treasurer.

The newly elected president of the new outfit, Rajesh Singh Chauhan accused both the Tikait brothers of indulging in politics much against the mandate of the union. 

"I have also given 33 years of my life to the Union. After coming back from the Delhi border after 13 months of agitation, Rakesh Tikait had become politically motivated. We discussed the issue with him  telling him that we are an apolitical organization and that we should not support any political organization, both the Tikaits were working under the influence of some political parties," Chauhan said.

"Why has Rakesh Tikait been meeting political leaders in West Bengal and Telangana? We have nothing to do with politics," asserted state president of BKU (non-political), Harinaam Singh Verma, who is based in Lucknow. 

Rakesh Tikait, it is learnt, has been staying in Lucknow for the past couple of days to convince the rebel group, but to no avail.