Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Imphal on Tuesday.Assembly Elections 2022 Highlights: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the Northeast region is playing a greater role in India’s development, as as he launched a raft of development projects ahead of the assembly elections due in the state. Modi also highlighted that previous governments neglected the region resulting in alienation of the people from the rest of the country, while seven years of BJP has transformed it.
Modi inaugurated several developmental projects worth Rs 4,800 crore and also laid the foundation stone of 5 National Highway projects along with dedicating, to the people of Manipur, 2,387 mobile towers.
Meanwhile, BJP president JP Nadda Monday said that while BJP brings people together, Opposition parties in UP divide people in the name of religion. Addressing a poll rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Basti, Nadda said, “The BJP has united people of this country, while the opposition tries to divide them. We told everybody, Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Efforts. They divided people on religion, even needed Jinnah.”
In Punjab, Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu tried to get one-up on AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal as he promised Rs 2,000 per month for women homemakers if his party returns to power. Sidhu also promised eight free cooking gas cylinders to homemakers every year.
Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand will be held between February to March, 2022. Uttar Pradesh is a key for the both BJP and the Opposition particularly Congress. The outcome in UP and Punjab will also indicate the fallout of the farmers’ unrest.
At a field near Farrukhabad. Farmers fear losses. Express Photo
Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi Tuesday said that the state’s Congress government, if voted back to power, would provide one lakh jobs to youth in Punjab within a year. He said that all students who have passed Class 12 would be eligible for jobs under the Punjab Government Rozgar Guarantee for Youth Scheme (PRAGTY).
Launching the scheme in Jalandhar, Channi said that the first decision of Congress government after being voted to power post polls will be to provide these jobs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Tripura and the poll-bound Manipur Tuesday to inaugurate development and infrastructure projects running into thousands of crores, said that the “double-engine government model” of the BJP ruling both the Centre and states succeeded in bringing “Delhi – the Government of India – to the doorstep of the Northeast” region.
“Every officer and minister was asked to visit the (Northeast) region and serve the people as per their local needs. You can see that there are five important faces from the region in key portfolios in the (Union) Council of Ministers,” the Prime Minister told a public meeting in Imphal. Read the full report here.
Though the Punjab government has closed educational institutions and imposed night curfew amid rising Covid infections, political rallies including the one to be addressed by the Prime Minister at Ferozepur on Wednesday are expected to go ahead as per the schedule. The BJP’s state general secretary said the Wednesday rally, touted as “the biggest ever political rally in the state” wouldn’t be affected by Covid restrictions. More details here.
Some girls participating in a long-distance run organised by the Congress as part of its “Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon” campaign were injured in a stampede-like situation here on Tuesday. Congress leaders in Lucknow termed it a conspiracy hatched by the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government.
“Some girls have been injured, and we are waiting for further details,” state Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh told PTI
The Income Tax (IT) department is conducting searches at the business premises of real estate company ACE Group and its promoter Ajay Chaudhary in Delhi, Noida and Greater Noida among other locations, said sources.
Searches are also being conducted at the premises of companies dealing in the trade of shoes in Agra, said an Income Tax official.
Chaudhary is said to be close to Samajwadi Party (SP). With Uttar Pradesh assembly polls looming, searches by the Income Tax department and GST authorities at premises of several businessmen have triggered a political blame game between the ruling BJP and opposition SP. More details here.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed at MBB Airport in Agartala on Tuesday and is scheduled to inaugurate a new terminal building of the airport, built with fund involvement of Rs. 450 crores. The PM will also inaugurate two other projects including Vidyajyoti scheme, a project aimed at developing infrastructure of schools and capability of schools.
Two-time MLA from Ludhiana West and Punjab’s food, civil supplies & consumer affairs minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu (50), is among the latest in Punjab Congress to go vocal on his grievances with party’s state president Navjot Singh Sidhu. A close confidant of Rahul Gandhi, Ashu had started his political career as a young Congress councilor in Ludhiana MC in 1997. A prominent Hindu face for the Congress, he is currently the go-to man of the Ludhiana Congress. (Read the interview here)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said he saw the potential in the northeast region even before he took office, and his government’s aim wasto transform the region for its people. Modi said, “ seven years of BJP government’s hardwork is visible in the transformation of northeast and Manipur.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that Manipur's development has changed completely since BJP came into power. He said that over 6 lakh farmers have been given compensation under the PM-Kisan scheme, over 4 lakh people have got free medical assistance from Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressing a gathering in Imphal said that the previous governments in Manipur neglected the region resulting in alienation of the people from the rest of the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressing a gathering in Imphal said that his government will soon provide clean drinking water to every household in Manipur. The projects inaguarted today, including ‘Water Transmission system of Thoubal Multi-purpose project’, will provide drinking water supply in the region, Modi said. "There was a time when only 6 per cent of Manipur households recieved clean drinking water, and today over 60 per cent have access to the clean water, soon we will acheive 100 per cent in this area, Modi highlighted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed a gathering in Imphal and said that the Northeast region and Manipur are playing a greater role in India's development. Modi said that the developmental projects launched here will make the lives of people of Manipur easier.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated several developmental projects worth Rs 4,800 crore in the poll-bound state of Manipur. Modi also laid the foundation stone of 5 National Highway projects and dedicated, to the people of Manipur, 2,387 mobile towers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Imphal on Tuesday and is set to innagurate 22 developmental projects in the state. Modi was welcomed by Manipur Cheif Minister N. Biren Singh and Governor La Ganesan.
Samajwadi Party supremo on Monday claimed that Lord Krishna comes to his dream every night to tell him that he would form the government and establish "Ram Rajya" in Uttar Pradesh after the state's upcoming assembly polls.
Former UP chief minister Yadav made the claim, albeit in a lighter vein, during a function held for the induction of BJP's Bahraich MLA Madhuri Verma into his party.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday will dedicate, to the people of Manipur, 2,387 mobile towers built at a cost of around Rs 1,100 crores. This will be a major step in further boosting the mobile connectivity of the state, the government said in a statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate 22 developmental projects worth Rs 4,800 crore in the poll-bound state of Manipur at 11 am on Tuesday. The Prime Minister will inaugurate 13 Projects worth around Rs. 1850 crores and lay the foundation stone of 9 projects worth around Rs 2950 crore.
Modi will also lay the foundation stone of 5 National Highway projects to be built at a cost of more than Rs 1700 crore.
AMID a scramble to woo voters ahead of the 2022 state Assembly polls, Punjab Congress chief tried to get one-up on AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal as he promised Rs 2,000 per month for women homemakers if his party returns to power. Sidhu also promised eight free cooking gas cylinders to homemakers every year.
The state Congress chief further assured two-wheelers to girls taking admission in colleges for further studies, Rs 20,000 to those passing Class 12, Rs 15,000 to the ones passing Class 10 and Rs 5,000 to those passing Class 5. The promises included a digital tablet for girls in Class 11, an EV Scooty and scholarship for college students and interest free loans for girls pursuing higher studies/PhDs. He also declared that no registration, stamp duty and court fee for lands registered in the name of women. (With Kanchan Vasdev)
The Apna Dal (S) on Monday suspended party MLA R K Verma from its primary membership on charges of anti-party activities.In a statement issued here, Apna Dal (S) national spokesperson Rajesh Patel said the decision was taken by the disciplinary committee of the party and is effective immediately.
Union Minister Smriti Iran on Monday addressed a gathering in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh and attacked the opposition for ruling for 50 years but not providing medical facilities to women while the BJP has given free ration, and medical assistance to the poor.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying who once sat on his knees in a temple instead of cross-legged is now giving lectures on the difference between Hindu and Hindutva. The Uttar Pradesh CM claimed that the Congress leader's family has said in the past that they are "Hindus by accident", apparently eluding to a remark, supposedly made by former PM Jawaharlal Nehru.
Addressing a public meeting in Jagdishpur here after laying the foundation stone of a medical college, the CM claimed that the Congress leader was chided by a priest in a Gujarat temple when he went there during the Assembly elections and sat on his knees.
The TMC on Monday appointed its Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev and another senior leader from Bengal, Sourav Chakraborty, as the party's Goa unit co-in-charge. Dev quit the Congress and joined the TMC in August last year. She was elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from West Bengal mid-September. In November, the TMC appointed Mahua Moitra as its Goa unit in-charge.
As Punjab heads for a multi-cornered contest, where any small difference in vote share can make a big difference, one new entrant could upset many calculations. That is the Samyukta Samaj Morcha (SSM), the political front floated by 22 farm unions which had been part of the year-long protest against the Centre’s farm laws.
The face of the SSM is Balbir Singh Rajewal, who defying his age of 78 had emerged as one of the most prominent leaders of the agitation. The parties that had been hoping to cash in on the anger against the BJP over the farm laws are now watching warily even as the buzz is that Rajewal is in talks with the Aam Aadmi Party, the debutant of last time that had shaken up Punjab politics.
What is further fuelling the speculation is that the SSM is yet to register itself with the Election Commission, or identify candidates, given that it has said it wants to contest all the 117 seats. Read more here.
The Election Commission of India has written to the chief secretaries of five poll-bound states, asking them to “accelerate” the pace of Covid-19 vaccination. The poll panel also expressed concerns over the low percentage of first dose coverage in Manipur.
This comes after the Commission had at a press conference in Lucknow last week emphasized on the need to speed up vaccination in poll-bound states, EC officials said. At the press meet, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra said that EC had asked states to take steps to step up vaccination coverage.
Elections are scheduled to be held in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur this year.
From bulls to bills, parties in the Uttar Pradesh poll race have everything and everyone covered. Some promises are common, such as free electricity, Covid relief and smartphones. Some, especially by the Samajwadi Party as it pulls ahead of the rest of the non-BJP pack, are more ingenious: aid in case of bull attacks as well as cycle accidents. Click here to read the full report.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday announced five more candidates for the Punjab assembly polls.
As per the list, newly inducted members from Congress, Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lalli Majithia, who resigned from the chairmanship of Pungrain and joined AAP a couple of days ago, will be contesting from Majitha constituency. Lalli Majithia has fought three times from the same constituency in 2007, 2012 and 2017 assembly elections and lost to Akali candidate Bikram Singh Majithia each time.
Apart from him, names of Dr. Ajay Gupta from Amritsar Central, Dr. Kashmir Singh Sohal from Tarn Taran, Surinder Singh Sodhi from Jalandhar Cantt and Dr. Baljit Kaur from Malout constituency have also been announced. The total number of candidates announced by Punjab's main opposition party has now reached 101. The Punjab assembly has 117 MLAs in total. (ENS)
BSP leader and former Ambedkar Nagar MP Rakesh Pandey Monday joined the Samajwadi Party.
"We are an ideological party. We are not here to rule but to implement our ideology. India had to carry Article 370 for 70 years due to mistake committed by (former PM) Jawaharlal Nehru. It was a barrier in making J&K an integral part of India," BJP chief JP Nadda said during a poll rally in Basti.
BJP president JP Nadda Monday said that while BJP brings people together, Opposition parties in UP divide people in the name of religion. Nadda made the remark while addressing a poll rally in Basti, Uttar Pradesh.
The Election Commission has written to chief secretaries of the five poll-bound states asking them to 'accelerate' covid-19 vaccination in their states. It also expressed concerns over low percentage of first dose inoculation in Manipur, ANI reported.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma on Sunday accused the opposition parties of indulging in communal and casteist politics, and urged people to vote for the BJP in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Addressing his party's Jan Vishwas Yatra in Sultanpur, Sharma said people need to remember BJP's symbol, instead of the candidate, and sought their support. "The SP indulges in politics of communalism, the BSP does the politics of caste and the Congress indulges in divisive politics," he alleged.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Harnath Singh Yadav on Monday wrote to party chief JP Nadda requesting him to consider fielding Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath from Mathura for the assembly elections in the state.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said he is ready to contest the upcoming assembly elections from wherever his party decides. The BJP leader also said he has fulfilled whatever was promised and has no regrets about his tenure. “I am ready to fight the election from wherever the party says,” Adityanath told reporters when asked whether he will contest from Ayodhya, Mathura, or from his home district Gorakhpur.
The chief minister, who is currently a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council, was interacting with the media here on Saturday night. After former UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav fought the state elections in 2003, none of his successors have contested the assembly polls. BSP chief Mayawati, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Adityanath were members of the legislative council during their tenure as chief minister.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday announced five more candidates for the Punjab assembly polls. According to the party's seventh list of candidates, Lalli Majithia has been given a ticket from the Majitha assembly seat. Majithia had quit the Congress party and joined the AAP on January 1. At present, the Majitha seat is represented by Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia.
Congress MLA Balwinder Singh Laddi rejoined the Congress on Monday days after he went to the BJP.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday used the foundation stone laying ceremony for a sports university in Meerut to attack the Opposition, saying that while previous governments had ignored sportspersons and instead allowed criminals to play games, the Yogi Adityanath government played “jail-jail” with criminals. While he did not name the Samajwadi Party or its leaders, the main Opposition party was evidently the target for much of the 42-minute address by the PM.
The well-attended rally was also an occasion for the ruling BJP to launch its election campaign in western UP, a region where the party decimated the Opposition in the 2017 elections, winning 112 out of 132 seats, but had to face farmer protests over the three farm laws.(With Amil Bhatnagar, Amit Sharma)
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Navjot Singh Sidhu Sunday said that BJP was arm-twisting rivals to make them join its fold. He also said that it did not deserve any credit for repealing farm laws as that victory belonged purely to farmers. Sidhu gunned for SAD, Capt Amarinder and BJP for being the ones that brought or helped sustain mafia raj in Punjab.
He once again claimed that AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal was misleading the people with false promises which he could not deliver in Delhi.
Addressing a rally in Phagwara, which is represented by the Congress MLA B S Dhaliwal, he said that BJP was arm-twisting people, telling them either to join them or face ED cases. The rally saw a large number of female supporters.
Ahead of the Assembly elections in Punjab and a threat of third wave due to Omicron variant looming large, the Congress campaign committee Sunday decided to take the campaign at grassroots level and depend on person-to-person contact instead of huge rallies in the state.
The campaign committee meeting chaired by committee chairman, Sunil Jakhar, and attended by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and PPCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, decided that they would follow the RSS way of seeking votes by working at the grassroots level and getting in touch with the electorate personally.
“Congress leaders and workers will organise meetings at the booth level, following the Covid protocol, wear a mask and meet people. Also, small meetings would be organised. This will reduce the need for large rallies. For now, we will just see how the Omicron variant of Covid behaves in the election bound state. Huge rallies will be organised later after witnessing how the virus behaves. Rest, we will see how all other parties roll out their campaign,” a leader privy to discussions said. (With Kanchan Vasdev)