Thousands of farmers marching towards Delhi say they are prepared for the long haul, carrying enough ration and diesel to last for months, as the borders have been sealed to prevent them from entering the national capital. The farmers are protesting over a series of demands, including a minimum support price (MSP) for their crops – a follow-up to their 2020 protest in which they had camped at the border points for 13 months.

Farmers say a test of patience won’t deter them from continuing their demonstration until their demands are met.

“From a needle to hammer, we have everything we need in our trolleys, including tools to break stones. We left our village with six months’ ration with us. We have enough diesel, even for our brothers from Haryana,” Harbhajan Singh, a farmer from Punjab’s Gurdaspur, headed to Delhi on his tractor, pulling two trollies loaded with supplies, told NDTV.

Read | “1 Km In 1 Hour”: Massive Jams Ahead Of Farmers’ March To Delhi

Farmers have been alleging that diesel is not being provided to them to thwart their march using tractors and trollies.

Mr Singh, who said he was part of the 2020 farmers’ protest, said they won’t withdraw this time until their demands are met.

“We didn’t budge through the 13 months last time. We were promised our demands will be met, but the government didn’t keep its promise. This time, we will leave only after all our demands are met,” he said, driving his tractor from the Punjab-Haryana border towards Delhi.

The farmers began their march this morning from Fatehgarh Sahib after late night talks with a government delegation in Chandigarh failed.

Read | What Are The Key Demands Of Farmers That Remain Unresolved?

Two Union ministers had met the farmer leaders in a last-ditch effort to prevent the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, leading to an agreement on repealing the Electricity Act 2020, compensation to farmers killed in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri, and the withdrawal of cases against farmers during the farmers’ movement.

However, no consensus could be reached on three key demands, including enactment of a law to guarantee a MSP for all crops, farmer loan waiver and the implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations.

Arjun Munda, Minister for State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, said the government is committed to the welfare of farmers but they need to consult the states on some issues.

Delhi has been fortified to stop the farmers from entering the city, with key border points – Ghazipur, Tikri and Singhu – barricaded. Concrete blocks and nails have been placed on the roads to prevent tractors and trollies to cross into the city. The police have also imposed a month-long ban on public gatherings in the entire city.

Huge traffic jams have been reported from the border areas due to multiple diversions and police check-posts.

Farmers on Tuesday morning commenced their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march from Punjab to press for their demands, amid heavy barricading at Haryana-Punjab border and entry points into the national capital.

The Haryana Police hurled tear gas shells when a group of youth, who were part of the farmers’ ‘Chalo Delhi’ protest march, tried to break barricades set up at the Shambhu border in Ambala, officials said.

Here are the LIVE updates from the Farmers’ Protest:

Ashok Chavan, former Maharashtra Chief Minister, joined the BJP today, a day after he quit the Congress. The former MP, who was a prominent face for the Congress in the politically-significant state, was welcomed into the BJP by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state party chief Chandrashekhar Bawankul.

Mr Chavan, sources said, will be filing nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election tomorrow. In fact, it is the nomination deadline that had prompted him to join the BJP just a day after resigning from the Congress’s primary membership, the sources added.

The former Chief Minister had yesterday told the media that he would take a decision on his political future in the next couple of days. However, this morning, he said he would be starting a new political journey with the BJP today.

Mr Chavan’s exit is yet another blow to Maharashtra Congress months ahead of state polls and the general election. Earlier, key Congress leader, Milind Deora, quit the party and joined the Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena. Baba Siddique too left and moved to the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

According to Congress sources, Mr Chavan’s differences with state party chief Nana Patole played a key role in his decision. Speaking to the media yesterday, he had suggested that he was upset over the delay in finalising seat-sharing within the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance with just months left for the polls.

Mumbai Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam said that the former Chief Minister was upset over the working style of a Congress leader in Maharashtra. He did not name any leader. “He (Chavan) had approached the top leadership. Had his complaint been taken seriously, this situation would not have happened,” Mr Nirupam said.

Congress leaders have taken swipes at Mr Chavan following his decision. Senior party leader Jairam Ramesh took a “washing machine” jab — washing machine is an oft-repeated reference the Congress uses to accuse the BJP of stalling criminal investigations against Opposition leaders who switch to their side.

“When friends and colleagues leave a political party that has given them much — perhaps much more they deserved — it is always a matter of anguish. But to those who are vulnerable THAT Washing Machine will always prove more attractive than ideological commitment or personal loyalties,” Mr Ramesh said. “These betrayers don’t realise that their exit opens up vast new opportunities to those whose growth they have always stunted,” he added.

Maharashtra Congress chief Patole said it is “unfortunate that leaders who have got everything are leaving the Congress party and ideology”.