Elections 2022 Highlights: Not three-fourth seats, BJP meant it will get 3 or 4 seats, says Akhilesh 

A case was registered on Friday after a massive crowd, in violation of Covid norms, gathered at the Samajwadi Party office here for the joining-in function of two rebel ministers and some MLAs. The FIR was registered according to the directives of the Election Commission on Covid-related norms, officials said. (PTI)

BSP leader Satish Chandra Misra Friday took a dig at UP’s prominent OBC leader Swami Prasad Maurya, who recently quit the Adityanath Cabinet and the BJP to join the SP, by sharing an old video.

In the video, posted on the Koo app, Maurya can be heard taking potshots at the then Samajwadi Party in the state. Before joining the BJP in 2017, Maurya was considered a close confidant of BSP chief Mayawati.

Koo App

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- Satish Chandra Misra (@satishmisrabsp) 14 Jan 2022

An information commissioner of Punjab has been accused of campaigning for the BJP despite holding a constitutional post after he uploaded on Facebook photos “showing his “involvement in party activities”.

Anumit Heera Sodhi—son of BJP leader Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, who was formerly with the Congress — rejected the criticism saying he was allowed to meet people from all sections of society. “I am still a state information commissioner. If I am asked to contest election then I will resign from my post. Right now I am not campaigning. I am meeting people in society. I am allowed to meet the people. People from all sections of society meet me,” Sodhi told The Indian Express when asked if he is allowed to run a political campaign. Read the full report here.

BSP worker Arshad Rana was caught on camera crying bitterly over election ticket claims. According to ANI, Rana says that he was promised a ticket in UP election only to be denied at the last moment despite putting up hoardings for the upcoming polls.

"I've been working for 24 years; was formally declared candidate from Charthawal in 2018 (for 2022 UP polls), have been trying to get in touch with party, no proper response; have been told to arrange Rs 50 lakhs...had already paid about Rs 4.5 lakh," Rana alleged. 

#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: BSP worker Arshad Rana bitterly cries claiming that he was promised a ticket in UP election only to be denied ticket at the last moment despite putting up hoardings for the upcoming polls pic.twitter.com/DMe8mDHk2J

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 14, 2022

A day after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra named the Unnao rape victim’s mother as a Congress candidate for the Uttar Pradesh elections, the BJP launched a scathing attack asking why the Congress leader didn’t visit the family of a disabled girl who was allegedly sexually abused in Rajasthan’s Alwar district.

“When this gruesome incident took place in Alwar, Priyanka Vadra, who calls herself [a] champion of women was there. It was Priyanka Vadra’s birthday and she was with her husband, Mr Vadra, in the Ranthambore forest. She was there to celebrate her birthday,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told a presser, referring to Tuesday night’s incident where a disabled girl was found abandoned 25-30 km away from her Alwar home after alleged sexual assault. More details here.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday took a swipe at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying by the "80 versus 20" assertion, he meant only 20 per cent of the population will back the BJP in the Uttar Pradesh elections, while the remaining 80 per cent will support his party.

"Baba mukhya mantri (Adityanath) should engage a math teacher," the SP president was quoted as saying by PTI, referring to the chief minister's "80 vs 20" remarks. Yadav also dismissed BJP's claim of winning three-fourth seats in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly, saying, "they meant they will win three or four seats." 

The Election Commission has issued notification for the upcoming Phase 1 of UP polls. The nomination process for 58 Assembly Constituencies begins with the issue of notification.

Notification for Phase 1 of Uttar Pradesh #AssemblyElections2022 has been issued today. The nomination process for 58 Assembly Constituencies begins with the issue of notification.https://t.co/OEmsxaAHuR#ElectionCommissionOfIndia #ECI pic.twitter.com/f0oxowS4Dn

— Election Commission of India #SVEEP (@ECISVEEP) January 14, 2022

The Samajwadi Party (SP)’s campaign might have been boosted by the induction of a slew of MLAs from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including ministers, and other parties into its fold in the run-up the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, but SP president Akhilesh Yadav will now have to deal with the formidable task of ticket-distribution in their constituencies which already have many existing aspirants from his own party. Read the full report here.

Several MLAs from Opposition parties joined the Samajwadi Party on Friday.

Former BSP MLA Neeraj Kushawaha Maurya, former BJP MLC Harpal Saini, former BSP MLA Balram Saini, former BJP MLA Rajendra Pratap Singh, former Minister of State Vidrohi Maurya, former Chief Security Officer Padam Singh and former Congress MLA Bansi Singh Pahadiya joins SP today pic.twitter.com/ap6t9E58nz

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 14, 2022

Taking a dig on the flurry of resignations from the BJP, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "wickets gir rahe the (wickets were dropping)."

Welcoming the ex-BJP MLAs and ministers, the SP chief reiterated what Swami Prasad Maurya had said earlier, "he makes the government wherever he goes."

"In the last 5 years, OBCs and Dalits were completely exploited in the field of politics, economy, employment and reservation. In view of this, we backward, Dalit people are going to join the Samajwadi Party at the time of Makar Sankranti," Dharam Singh Saini said on Friday.

MLAs Roshan Lal Verma, Mukesh Verma and Brajesh Kumar Prajapati, who resigned from the BJP, along with Apna Dal MLA Chaudhary Amar Singh on Friday joined the Samajwadi Party.

After quitting BJP, MLAs Roshan Lal Verma, Mukesh Verma, Brajesh Kumar Prajapati and Apna Dal MLA Chaudhary Amar Singh join Samajwadi Party today pic.twitter.com/cgJSH1szTE

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 14, 2022

"January 14, on the occasion of Makar Sankaranti, the end of BJP is being written," Swami Prasad Maurya said as he joined the Samajwadi Party on Friday. 

"The BJP has deceived the poor, Dalits and OBCs to seize power," he claimed. He went on to state that the BJP had earlier discussed that either Swami Prasad Maurya or Keshav Maurya would be made the chief minister of the state, but later they instated Adityanath.

The Samajwadi Party on Friday welcomed into the party Swami Prasad Maurya and Dharam Singh Saini, both of whom had quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earlier this week, along with several other MLAs from the Opposition parties.

Ahead of #UttarPradeshElections2022, @SwamiPMaurya , Dharam Singh Saini and six other MLAs joined @samajwadiparty in presence of @yadavakhilesh. All at one stage at SP headquarters @IndianExpress

— Lalmani Verma (@LalmaniVerma838) January 14, 2022

"I want to thank (Amritlal) Bharti, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, for inviting me for 'Khichri Sahbhoj' on the occasion of Makara Sankranti today," CM Yogi Adityanath said.

#WATCH Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath had lunch at the residence of Amritlal Bharti in Gorakhpur

"I want to thank Bharti who belongs to Scheduled Caste community for inviting me for 'Khichri Sahbhoj' on the occasion of #MakarSankranti today," the CM says pic.twitter.com/SSIhWglyQE

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 14, 2022

Snapping his five-decade-long ties with the Congress, former Punjab minister and a noted Schedule Caste (SC) leader of the party in Phagwara, Joginder Singh Mann, on Friday resigned from the Congress and as Chairman of the Punjab Agro Industries Corporation (Cabinet rank).

Though Mann, a Valmiki Madhvi Sikh, did not divulge his future plans, he has been in talks with the Aam Aadmi Party and is likely to join AAP in the coming days.

In an emotional letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi, the three-time MLA from Phagwara, who has been a minister in the cabinets of Beant Singh, H S Brar, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Captain Amarinder Singh, said, “I had a dream that when I will die, the Congress tricolour will be wrapped around my body but with the Congress patrons guilty of the post-matric scholarship scam, my conscience doesn’t allow me to stay here”. Read more

Former Navy Chief Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas (retd) wrote an open letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra seeking action on calls for inciting violence at ‘Dharam Sansads’, adding that it is a violation of both the Constitution and the Election Commission’s model code of conduct.

“We have expressed our deep concern regarding the rise in hate speech targeting the main minority community — namely Muslims, and others too, across the country. The specific reference is to the recently-concluded Dharma Sansad in Hardwar on Dec 17-19; and a similar event in Delhi, where the speakers, openly gave speeches (that) tantamount to calling for genocide of Indian Muslims,” he said.

“Elections have been called by you Sir. Despite this, there continue to be further similar incidents and press conferences announcing similar Sansads in other locations. This is violative of both the Constitution and also the Code of Conduct,” he wrote. Read more

UP Minister Sidharth Nath Singh on Friday stated that the "OBCs and Dalits are being misguided in the state". Referring to the MLAs who have resigned from the party, the minister said, "Let them list 10 welfare schemes by SP (Samajwadi Party) for OBCs and Dalits. SP only works for Muslims and Yadavs. I want to tell them that other OBC communities will never join the Muslims and Yadavs."

According to news agency ANI, the Minister further said, "There are several reasons for these MLAs to leave BJP. Some are going for their personal benefit, others fear that they won't get a ticket from the constituency of their choice. In logo ne 5 saal tak BJP ke saath rahkar malai khaane ka kaam kiya. (These people have reaped benefits by staying with the BJP for five years.)"

The number of Assembly seats declared “sensitive” by the Uttar Pradesh Police this election has risen to 73. That is 35 more than the 2017 state elections, when 38 seats were declared “sensitive”.

Among seats declared “sensitive” this time is Kannauj Assembly constituency, which was in news recently after Central agencies conducted searches at the residences of three perfume traders and recovered a large tranche of unaccounted money.

“There are different criteria to select ‘sensitive’ seats. These include caste position, previous law and order history, and who are contesting the election. Heavy deployment of security forces in these seats ensure that elections are held smoothly,” Additional Director General (Law & Order) Prashant Kumar said. Read more

OBC leader and five-term MLA Swami Prasad Maurya is all set to join the Samajwadi Party today. He resigned from the BJP on Tuesday, allegeing neglect of “Dalits, backwards, farmers, unemployed and small traders” by the government.

Lucknow | Supporters gather outside Swami Prasad Maurya's residence

Maurya, who resigned as a Minister on January 11 has announced to join Samajwadi Party today pic.twitter.com/dOel0mFcJd

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 14, 2022

The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and its partner, the Samajwadi Party (SP), have picked their candidates on different criteria, PTI reported. The alliance had released its first list of nominees for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls on Thursday.

"The criteria for ticket distribution have been a candidate's background. Of the candidates announced by the RLD today, no one has a criminal background. They are all educated and qualified candidates having a good connect with the people of their region. None of our candidate is an outsider. All belong to the assembly seat where they are contesting the election," RLD spokesperson Sandip Chaudhary said.

"The farmers are unhappy. The Muslim community is also unhappy with the BJP. The people have realised the BJP's false promises and false dreams it had shown to them last time," he added.

Meanwhile, SP spokesperson Abbas Haider said, "Winnability of a candidate is the first criteria for ticket distribution in the alliance. The party workers are also being kept in mind during the process."

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which currently rules Goa, has decided to contest 38 out of the total 40 Assembly seats in the state, where elections will be held next month, a senior party functionary said on Friday.

Talking to PTI, the office-bearer said that in two constituencies - Benaulim and Nuvem - the party will not field any candidate on its symbol. Traditionally, people in Benaulim and Nuvem constituencies vote for non-BJP candidates. These two are Christian-dominated seats. Currently, Benaulim is represented by Churchill Alemao, who after getting elected on the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ticket, shifted to the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) last month, while Nuvem constituency is represented by Wilfred D'Sa, who had won the last election as a Congress candidate but later joined the ruling BJP.

"A formal announcement about the candidates would be made after January 16 when the party's parliamentary board approves the list," he said. (PTI)

Not just the landless and marginal farmers, the formation of the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha to fight Punjab polls has also given hope to big farmers and their pressure groups of getting a say in the state’s political corridors.

The Jalandhar Potato Growers’ Association (JPGA) is one such farmer group with nearly 5,000 members — big and small farmers. JPGA, which is not a farm union in the traditional sense, is a pressure group that has already announced its support for the farmers’ front SSM.

Talking to the Indian Express, JPGA general secretary Jaswinder Singh Sangha said that the group had supported traditional political parties in the past, but after they seized power even farmers’ genuine demands were ignored. He added that this time they have decided to support SSM as it is “farmers’ own party”. Read more

Noida Police has stepped up vigil ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls. Officials have been holding flag marches in critical areas to keep a check on illegal activities. With nominations beginning on Friday, the police have also been carrying out checks at the centres to ensure a smooth process.

On Thursday, marches were held in Sector 24, 49, Jewar and Rabupura areas. The officials interacted with the locals to sensitize people against voter intimidation. The police also visited areas where history sheeters reside to issue warnings against anti-social activities during elections. An area domination exercise along with the BSF was also held in Phase 2 and 3 regions. Read more

The alliance talks between Gurnam Singh Chaduni’s Samyukt Sangharsh Party (SSP) and Balbir Singh Rajewal’s political outfit Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) for the Punjab Assembly election seem headed for collapse over sharing seats. Chaduni, who had demanded 25 seats for his outfit, claims the SSM is offering only nine his outfit and all other farmers and workers’ outfits associated with it.

“They are offering us only nine seats. I asked Rajewal ji to give us at least 25 seats. Either they give us our due share, or we will be forced to field our candidates separately,” said Chaduni. Read more

Ahead of the Punjab elections, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday asked the people of the state to decide his party’s chief ministerial candidate.

Launching his party’s “Janata chunegi apna CM” drive, he announced a cellphone number on which people can name their choice, via voice or text messages, till 5 pm on January 17. Read more

Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday stated that the flurry of resignations from the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the Uttar Pradesh polls was "not a big deal."

"Resignations are not a big deal in Uttar Pradesh. BJP is getting support from everywhere in the state. People will bless us and BJP will be successful in forming the government in UP, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur," the minister was quoted as saying by ANI.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed an all-woman gathering of self-help groups in Prayagraj. The Congress, led by general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, has based its entire campaign on women. The Samajwadi Party and the BSP are doing all they can to impress women voters. The Jat-dominated RLD isn’t far behind, promising reservation in jobs for women.

In Uttar Pradesh, a state where caste and religion usually blur all other considerations during polls, this season, political parties are tripping over each other to get women voters behind them.

Data show that over the last few elections, women voters — or “aadhi abadi”, as political parties have been referring to the demographic that makes up 46.5 per cent of the state’s voters — have risen not only numerically, but there has been a steady rise in the numbers coming out to vote and those ending up on the winning side, making them a significant target group for all political parties. Read more

On January 5, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to lay the foundation stones of projects worth 42,750 crore in Punjab, but following a breach in his security, the PM had to cancel his engagements and return to Delhi. Now, with the model code of conduct in place till a new government takes over and with a row raging between the Centre and the state government over the security breach, the fate of these projects, many of which were announced earlier and were stuck, is up in the air all over again pending the inauguration.

While the PM was to physically lay the foundation stone of the Rs 490-crore PGI satellite centre at Ferozepur, the remaining projects were to be inaugurated virtually from Ferozepur.

The Indian Express examined these projects and found that all of them were either in the stage of tender allotment or land acquisition, though civil works were yet to begin. Read more

The first list of Congress candidates for Punjab Assembly polls was delayed on Thursday after differences over finalised names came to the fore during a virtual meeting of the central election committee (CEC) chaired by party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Sources said while leaders in various screening committee meetings had kept quiet about finalising of candidates, the differences were aired strongly before the CEC by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and former state unit chief Sunil Jakhar. “There were several seats where the screening committee had sent the finalised candidate’s name. Once the CEC started taking up names, these three leaders started airing objections,” a source said.

Sonia is learnt to have asked them why they had put up the list to CEC if there was no consensus. “She told Jakhar that this is not the platform to raise the issues and asked them to come with a final list on Friday,” the source said. Read more

The Samajwadi Party-RLD alliance on Thursday announced its first candidate list with 29 seats for the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

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????? ?????? ???????? ????? 2022 ???? ???????????? ?? ????? ????- pic.twitter.com/3xTanE906S

— Samajwadi Party (@samajwadiparty) January 13, 2022

NCP president Sharad Pawar on Thursday said BJP leaders confidently predicted till 15 days back that their party will come back to power in Uttar Pradesh, but now not a single day passes without the news of some or the other leader quitting the saffron outfit. His remarks come amid BJP ministers and legislators quitting the party in UP ahead of the crucial Assembly polls in the state. Notably, eight BJP MLAs, including three ministers, have resigned over the past three days. --PTI

The BJP on Thursday finalised its candidates for 172 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh and is likely to field both Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya who are currently members of the Legislative Council, party leaders said.
     

Polling in most of these 172 seats will be held in the initial phases beginning February 10 and the party is also considering fielding Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma and state unit president Swatantra Dev Singh.
     

Addressing the media at the BJP headquarters, Maurya said the party held wider deliberations on the 172 assembly seats and will register a bigger victory than the 2017 assembly polls. --PTI

NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik on Thursday annunced that his party has decided to fight the Utar Pradesh elections with Samajwadi Party.

We've decided to contest elections with Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. One seat has been announced and talks are on for other seats. We will support the alliance which is forming in UP: NCP leader & Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik pic.twitter.com/MFMNqKj0Mq

— ANI (@ANI) January 13, 2022

In another major blow to the BJP, Uttar Pradesh Minister of State (Ayush, Food Security and Drug Administration) Dharam Singh Saini on Thursday resigned from the party, becoming the third cabinet minister to do so ahead of the state Assembly elections. Citing “gross neglect” towards Dalits, backward classes, farmers, educated unemployed youth and small traders by the state government as a reason behind his decision, Saini met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in the afternoon.

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— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) January 13, 2022

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— Congress (@INCIndia) January 13, 2022

Asserting that the Congress and the BJP are the two main contestants in Goa, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday said that if the AAP and TMC fielded candidates and secured some votes in the upcoming assembly polls, in effect they will be splitting the non-BJP vote.

Chidambaram, who is the Congress' senior election observer for the Goa Assembly polls, also said that some days ago, the TMC hinted that it would like to form an alliance with the Congress and other parties and the AICC leadership was aware of the TMC's desire and may have responded to it, but he has "no official word or instruction" from the AICC on the matter. (PTI)

The Shiv Sena is upset at being given a cold shoulder by the Congress over its proposal to repeat the Maharashtra coalition experiment in the Goa Assembly elections. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said the political situation it Goa is such that the Congress cannot go beyond single digit if it contests the assembly polls in the coastal state on its own. "The Congress has only three MLAs in Goa. The party's MLAs have deserted it enmasse. Key political parties, we (Shiv Sena and NCP) had offered to support the Congress in its difficult times. But I don't know what the Congress is thinking. It cannot cross the single digit mark if it contests alone," Raut told reporters here. (PTI)

BJP MLA Vinay Shakya quits party. "Swami Prasad Maurya is the voice of the downtrodden and he is our leader. I am with him," Shakya writes in his resignation letter to the party.

Lucknow: BJP MLA Vinay Shakya quits party

"Swami Prasad Maurya is the voice of the downtrodden and he is our leader. I am with him," Shakya writes in his resignation letter to the party pic.twitter.com/QMBw9JDAlG

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 13, 2022

<script

The Congress Thursday announced its first list of 125 candidates for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, which includes 50 women. Among the candidates was Asha Singh, the mother of the Unnao rape victim, and Ramraj Gond, who had spearheaded the Gond tribals’ legal battle over land in Umbha village in Sonbhadra.

Gond is the president of the Sonbhadra district Congress committee.

The other candidates include Poonam Pandey, an Asha worker who was allegedly roughed up by the police while trying to meet UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Shahjahanpur in November last year, and Congress leader Sadaf Jafar, who was in jail in connection with the anti-CAA stir in the state.

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???????? ?? ???????????? ?? ???? ???? ????, ???????? ????? ?? ?? 125 ???????????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ?????? 50 ??????? ?????????? pic.twitter.com/7LS2c1zTCT

— INC TV (@INC_Television) January 13, 2022

Postponing elections is not the job of the Court, the Uttarakhand High Court observed on Thursday while refusing to defer the upcoming assembly elections in the State, according to Bar and bench. A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) Sanjaya Kumar Mishra and Justice NS Dhanik also refused to pass any directions banning physical rallies.

"Postponing elections is not the job of the Court... The Election Commission of India (ECI) has already given certain directions. ECI is such an institution which is unique. EC is doing a commendable job. Nothing is perfect," ACJ Mishra remarked.

The BJP's Central Election Committee met on Thursday to finalise the party's candidates for the seats which will go to the polls in the initial phases of the Uttar Pradesh elections starting from February 10. BJP president J P Nadda and Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari, all three of whom have contracted coronavirus, joined the meeting via video conferencing, while Home Minister Amit Shah and several other leaders besides those from Uttar Pradesh, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, met physically. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also scheduled to join the meeting virtually.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra further said, "By fielding 40 per cent women & 40 per cent youth in UP, we hope to start new kind of politics in state. We will not run a negative campaign; We will run positive campaign for bright future of Uttar Pradesh. We have tried to field such candidates who have struggled for seeking justice in Uttar Pradesh and have power to fight."

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra releases first list of 125 candidates, including 50 women, for Uttar Pradesh elections. "UP Govt is dictatorial. Our focus is to bring people's issues, women and  development in centrestage in Uttar Pradesh, says Priyanka.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra announced the name of 2017 Unnao rape victim’s mother as Congress candidate for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

BSP chief Mayawati took to Twitter to announce on Thursday that Salman Sayeed has quit Congress and has joined BSP. 'Salman Sayeed, son of Mr. Sayeduzzaman who was the former Home Minister of Muzaffarnagar district, met the BSP chief late night on January 12 and left Congress and joined the Bahujan Samaj Party. Mr. Sayeed has been fielded by BSP as its candidate from Charthaval assembly seat,' Mayawati tweeted.

Along with this, Noman Masood, nephew of former Union Minister of Saharanpur district Rashid Masood and real-brother of Imran Masood also joined the Bahujan Samaj Party yesterday, leaving Lok Dal. The BSP chief has also made him the BSP candidate from the Gangoh assembly seat.

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— Mayawati (@Mayawati) January 13, 2022

Arvind Kejriwal says, "Often it is seen that relatives of politicians are made CM face in some parties. Bhagwant Mann is very dear to us. He is my younger brother. He is tallest leader of the party. We had decided in a room that he should be CM face. But Bhagwant said that people should choose who should be CM face."

Bhagwant Mann says Kejriwal had suggested that his name be declared as CM face. I suggested people should be asked. Kejriwal agreed to my suggestion. If the choice of the people is chosen then people will be assured of that choice.

A day after announcing that the CM face of AAP for Punjab will be revealed in a week, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal now launches a phone number on which people can call and name their choice. The drive is called ‘Janata chunegi apna CM’.

Mukesh Verma, BJP MLA from Shikohabad (Firozabad), resigns from primary membership of the party. "Swami Prasad Maurya is our leader. We will support whatever decision he takes. Many other leaders will join us in the coming days," he says.

In Uttarakhand, 30 BSF personnel, deployed on election duty in Kotdwar Assembly constituency, have tested positive for COVID-19 and have been quarantined, says Kotdwar Circle Officer. (ANI)

Congress president Sonia Gandhi-led CEC will also meet on Wednesday to finalise candidates for upcoming Punjab elections. The Congress Screening Committee for Uttarakhand assembly polls will also meet in the national capital today.

BJP's Central Election Committee meeting begins to finalise candidates for UP polls. Union Ministers Amit Shah, Anurag Thakur, Dharmendra Pradhan & UP CM Yogi Adityanath are among the attendees PM Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to join virtually.

There was relief, however, in the BJP camp when Naresh Saini, Congress MLA from Behat in Saharanpur, and Hariom Yadav, SP MLA from Sirsaganj in Firozabad, along with former SP MLA Dharampal Yadav, joined the ruling party in New Delhi.

Also Wednesday, Avtar Singh Bhadana, BJP MLA from Meerapur in Muzaffarnagar, joined the RLD, an ally of the SP in this election. Bhadana was with the Congress earlier and had been elected four times to Lok Sabha. A leader of the RLD said Bhadana will be contesting this Assembly election too.

A day after OBC leader Swami Prasad Maurya resigned as minister from the Yogi Adityanath government and met SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, the BJP was jolted again Wednesday when Dara Singh Chauhan, another UP cabinet minister, resigned and met Akhilesh Yadav, indicating that he too was headed there. Chauhan is a former head of the BJP’s OBC Morcha. Like Maurya, he has a BSP past.

S C Mishra, BSP National Gen Secretary, says "Muslims have always been with the BSP. Under the Samajwadi Party government, 134 riots happened in UP.” He also adds, “SCs and Brahmins are with us…we will form a majority government.” Read full interview

A day after the BJP’s senior OBC leader Swami Prasad Maurya resigned from the Yogi Adityanath Cabinet less than a month before the UP Assembly elections while signalling that he was headed to the Samajwadi Party (SP), another senior OBC leader Dara Singh Chauhan resigned from the Adityanath ministry on Wednesday. Chauhan met SP president Akhilesh Yadav in an indication that he may also join the BJP’s principal rival ahead of the polls beginning 10 February. Read more

OBC leader Om Prakash Rajbhar on Wednesday claimed that one to two ministers would quit the Yogi Adityanath Cabinet daily and this figure would go up to 18 by January 20. Rajbhar made the claim while welcoming the resignation of Uttar Pradesh ministers Swami Prasad Maurya and Dara Singh Chauhan.

"I had realised BJP's apathy towards Dalits, backwards and the deprived sections of the society in a short time after joining the government in 2017 but these people waited all these days and, left with no hope, are quitting it now," the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief said.

Rajbhar has joined hands with the Samajwadi Party for the 2022 assembly elections. "One or two wickets of the BJP Cabinet will fall every day and this figure will reach one-and-a-half dozen by January 20," he said at a programme on a TV channel after the resignation of Forest and Environment Minister Dara Singh Chauhan on Wednesday and that of Maurya a day ago.

In the last state assembly polls, Rajbhar was an alliance partner of the BJP and his party had won four seats then. Rajbhar himself was elected from Zahoorabad in Ghazipur district and was made a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government. He, however, had quit the Cabinet in 2019 and broken ties with the saffron party. (PTI)

Ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls, BJP leaders Wednesday continued to raise the issue of PM Narendra Modi’s security breach, with Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath alleging on Wednesday that it was a “pre-planned conspiracy”. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed a five-member committee to probe the security breach.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal unveiled AAP’s ‘Punjab Model’ and said that his party’s CM face will be announced next week. Also, The Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, a political front launched by various farmer bodies for fighting the February 14 Punjab assembly polls, on Wednesday released its first list of 10 candidates.

Here are the top developments of the day from poll-bound Punjab.