Farmers camping at Singhu border protesting the Centre's new agri laws on Sunday sought maximum participation from all quarters in Tuesday’s Bharat Bandh amid reports that a number of Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left, have come out in solidarity with them.

Farmer leaders said over 250 farmers from Gujarat would be coming to the national capital to join the stir. They welcomed the support extended by a number of political parties and called upon all others to come forward and support the bandh.

"This agitation is not only of Punjab farmers but is of the entire nation. We are going to strengthen our agitation and it has already spread across the nation. Since the government was not able to deal with us properly, we gave a call for Bharat Bandh. During yesterday's (Friday) meeting, even the ministers were upset with our call for Bharat bandh," farmer leader Baldev Singh Yadav said at a press conference.

"We have announced a Bharat Bandh on December 8, which will start in the morning and continue till evening. During which, shops and businesses will remain shut. Ambulances and emergency work will be exempted from the bandh. Also, 250 farmers from Gujarat will be coming to Delhi to join the protest," he added.

Yadav also appealed to everyone to make sure that the Bharat Bandh remained peaceful. "We won't let anyone turn it violent and would take strict action against them. We request everyone to be part of the bandh," he said.

The Congress on Sunday expressed its "whole-hearted" support to the 'Bharat Bandh' called on December 8 by farmer unions. Addressing the media at the AICC headquarters here, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, "I would also like to announce that the Congress party extends its whole-hearted support to the Bharat Bandh on December 8."

Former party chief Rahul Gandhi, through tractor rallies, signature campaigns and 'Kisan sammelans' has been raising the party's voice in support of the farmers, he said. "All our district headquarters and Pradesh headquarters will participate in this bandh. They will hold demonstrations and ensure that the bandh is successful," Khera said.

Among the other parties that have come out in support of the bandh are Trinamul, RJD, TRS, DMK and AAP.

Thousands of farmers protesting the Centre's new farm laws stayed put on the borders of Delhi with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh as they threatened to intensify their agitation and block more roads leading to the national capital if the government did not accept their demands.

Swaraj India party president Yogendra Yadav said, "We have always stood firm on our stand. We have always demanded that the government take back all the three farm laws. We have not changed our stand. We are firm on it".

"Many organisations from Maharashtra and other states are also supporting the Bharat Bandh. Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan will witness closure of all mandis but weddings would be exempted from the bandh. Many political parties have extended their support to us and we urge everyone to participate in the bandh," he said.