Poll takes

BJP waits for partners’ nodbe fore finalising list
After announcing its candidates for 51 Lok Sabha seats of Uttar Pradesh,the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is now waiting to hold negotiations with its allies before finalising the rest of its candidates. “We have already reached an understanding with our partners like Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Janata Dal (U). First we will discuss which seat is to be given to whom and then we will announce the names of the rest of our candidates,” said state BJP president Ramapati Ram Tripathi. Though he was hopeful that the entire list will be finalised before Holi,other leaders of his party,however,refuted any such possibility. “The party has to finalise the names for the first phase,which they will do in a day or two but most probably a few names for other phases may get shelved for now,” said a senior BJP leader.

Two RLD MLAs resign from party
Ghaziabad: A three-time RLD MLA on Wednesday resigned from the party protesting the tie-up of Rashtriya Lok Dal with with BJP for the coming Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh.

“I am resigning from the party to protest against RLD-BJP alliance in Uttar Pradesh…BJP is a communal force. In Rajasthan,during Vasundhara Raje regime the party committed atrocities on Gujjar community,” RLD MLA from Khakhera constituency Madan Bhaiya told PTI. Another RLD leader and six-time MLA from Kandhle,Birendra Singh also resigned from the party on the tie-up issue. Though none of the leaders till now have declared joining any other party,Bhaiya has given indication of joining Mulayam Singh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party.