DW BUREAU / Chandigarh Farmer bodies protesting the Centre's agriculture laws on Friday appealed to political parties to suspend their election campaign till the schedule for the Punjab Assembly polls is out so that the focus remains on their agitation. Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal, who presided over the meeting, said Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders said they will consult their party leadership before announcing their decision. The Congress delegation was led by its Punjab unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. In a tweet after the meeting, Sidhu said, "Had a positive meeting with Samyukt Kisan Morcha ? Discussed the way forward !!" Apart from the two parties, representatives of AAP, BSP, Lok Insaaf Party and the SAD (Sanyukt) took part in the meeting, for which the invite was not sent to the BJP for the party's pro-farm laws stand. Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal requested the farmer bodies not to impose restrictions on political activities in Punjab, stressing that the protesting organisations should maintain the national character of their stir. After the five-hour-long meeting, Rajewal told reporters, "We appeal to parties that electioneering should not be held before the polls are announced. The party, which will still insist on running an election campaign before poll dates are announced, we will consider them as against the farmers' agitation." Rajewal further said, "As our Morcha (agitation) is going on and a different kind of situation prevails currently, farmers' attention is focused on the Morcha. When parties conduct electioneering and mobilise supporters for their programmes, it diverts their attention." Some other farm leaders said representatives of political parties were asked not to indulge in electioneering or hold political rallies till the elections are announced as it may hurt the farmers' struggle. However, they said parties are free to hold small functions that do not attract big gatherings. Rajewal said all parties asserted that they stand behind farmers. (editor@dailyworld.in)