Rakesh Tikait said voters must decide if they want a "second Kim Jong Un"
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, in his latest attacks on the ruling BJP in the middle of elections in Uttar Pradesh, referenced North Korea today and said voters must decide if they want a "second Kim Jong Un".
"People have to decide whether they want a Chief Minister and Prime Minister who represent the masses or whether they want a situation like (North Korea) - a second Kim Jong. We do not want a dictatorial government in any state. We want to appeal to people to utilise their votes wisely," Mr Tikait.
The farmer leader has been routinely aiming at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in election season.
Last week, he accused the BJP of conducting a polarising campaign in Muzaffarnagar - his hometown - and said it is "not a stadium for Hindu-Muslim marches."
"Western Uttar Pradesh wants to talk about development. Those talking about Hindu, Muslim, Jinnah, religion will lose votes. Muzaffarnagar is not a stadium for Hindu-Muslim matches," Mr Tikait had tweeted.
He has also said often that farmers are more concerned about issues like development and basic facilities like electricity and water. "I think voters will favour those who are not against farmers. They will support those who are not polarising Hindu and Muslim voters. People will favour those who talk about their issues and not only about Pakistan and Jinnah," he had told PTI.
Mr Tikait was at the forefront of the 11-month farmers' protest over three controversial farm laws on highways outside Delhi. The protest was called off after Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared the laws withdrawn in November.
Farmers' anger in election states like UP and Punjab was seen to be a big factor behind the Centre scrapping the laws.
However, Mr Tikait has not explicitly come out in support of the opposition Samajwadi Party-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh either, which has triggered speculation that he has gone soft on the BJP.