Prime Minister Narendra Modi (File)Assembly Elections 2022 Updates: It is due to India’s “rising strength” that the country was able to evacuate nationals stuck in war-torn Ukraine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during a rally in Robertsganj.
Former Uttar Pradesh Minister Swami Prasad Maurya, who is fighting the state assembly elections from Fazilnagar constituency in the Kushinagar district after quitting the BJP, on Tuesday accused the saffron party workers of attacking his convoy during electioneering, PTI reported. Maurya’s daughter Sanghmitra Maurya who is a BJP MP too supported her father’s allegation as the Samajwadi Party condemned the alleged attack by “power-protected miscreants”.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah Tuesday pledged to establish peace in Manipur by initiating talks with all underground groups operating in the state. He also asserted that all smuggling activities will come to an end in Manipur, which will be “drug-free” within the next five years. Addressing a poll rally at Heirok in Thoubal district, Shah said “We have shown in Assam and Tripura… where 9,500 youths laid down their weapons and joined the mainstream”, and added that “no youth will go to jail, none will have weapons in their hands, but will join the mainstream and work for national development.”
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee faced protests from Hindu Yuva Vahini during her visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency here on Wednesday, with members of the right-wing outfit waving black flags and raising slogans against her.
Banerjee, who reached the city this evening to campaign for the Samajwadi Party candidate, was moving towards the Dashashwamedh Ghat to attend the 'Ganga Aarti' when activists of Vahini gathered in front of her convoy at the Chetganj crossing.
The protesters shouted slogans against her and waved black flags while the police tried to stop them. Banerjee got down from her vehicle and stood on the road for some time.
As the convoy moved on, BJP supporters showed her black flags and raised slogans of "Mamata Banerjee wapas jao (go back)" and "Jai Shri Ram" in Gadaulia area. (PTI)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday attended Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar on Wednesday said his party would choose a chief minister within half an hour if it wins the Assembly polls, results of which will be announced on March 10.
In an exclusive interview with PTI, Chodankar said the Congress and allies will win 24-26 seats in the 40-member House, polling for which was held on February 14. “I can assure you that within half an hour, all the MLAs of Congress will decide their leader. We will also take our alliance partners into confidence. The entire Goa knows who is the Congress' choice for CM,” he said, possibly hinting at senior leader Digambar Kamat.
“I will not name anyone right now as it is the right of MLAs to choose their leader," he added. The Congress had emerged as the largest party in the 2013 Assembly polls but the BJP managed to form a government will allies, following which several MLAs from the Congress switched over to the ruling side. (PTI)
BJP National President J P Nadda campaigning in Varanasi for the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections, said, "In the next 5 years, we'll start metro services in Agra, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Meerut."
He also said that UP has marked the lowest unemployment rate under Yogi government. "Through MSMEs, more than 3 lakh jobs have been created in the state," Nadda added.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav campaigning in Jaunpur said," In last three years Yogi government has ruined education of our children, they aren't getting any facilities. Education dept has maximum jobs, when SP govt will form, we'll include B.Ed and TET qualified candidates. If need be we'll recruit more teachers."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to be in Varanasi on March 4 and 5, the last two days of campaigning for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
The BJP's Varanasi city president Vidyasagar Rai on Wednesday said on day one Modi will hold a roadshow in the city area and the next day he will address a public meeting in Khajuri village in Rajatalab. Polling for the last phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election will be held on March 7 and the results will be declared three days later.
Rai said according to the programme, the roadshow of the prime minister will cover the Assembly segments of Varanasi Cantonment, Varanasi North and Varanasi South. (PTI)
Former VHP chief Pravin Togadia on Wednesday said the BJP may find it tough to the win the Assembly polls underway in Uttar Pradesh as farmers there are distressed and angry. The results of the seven-phase UP polls will be declared on March 10.
Speaking to reporters here, he said farmers are waiting for compensation as well as a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price, both of which the BJP-led government at the Centre had not acted upon.
Speaking on students stranded amid the Ukraine-Russia war, Togadia said they should have been brought back by the Centre by February 15 when it was clear hostilities would break out between the two nations. The delay has caused the death of one student (from Karnataka) in shelling, which was unfortunate, he said. (PTI)
Strength of old and new allies of the BJP and the Samajwadi Party will be on test more than any other phase of the Uttar Pradesh polls as the month-long state elections enter their last two laps with the focus shifting on two regions most identified with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
With 57 seats spread across 10 districts, including Gorakhpur, and 54 seats in nine districts, including Varanasi, going to the polls on March 3 and March 7 respectively, another massive factor at play in this entire Poorvanchal region will be the fate of prominent BJP defectors to the SP like Swami Prasad Maurya and Dara Singh Chauhan besides the regional party led by Om Prakash Rajbhar who also dumped the ruling party for its rival.
It is also in this region that the mettle of BJP's ally Apna Dal and new partner Nishad Party will be put to test as most of the seats they are contesting fall in these two phases. (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hit out at the BJP's rivals, saying dynasts living in palaces and moving in big cars cannot understand the problems of poor.
Highlighting his government's public welfare initiatives, he said even during the worst pandemic in 100 years, the government did not let anybody sleep empty stomach by providing them free ration.
Addressing an election rally here, he said Ghazipur has given many great personalities to the country. In this context, he mentioned the name of Manoj Sinha, a native of Ghazipur, who is serving as the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. Ghazipur will vote in the last phase of polls on March 7. (PTI)
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while campaigning in Chandauli on Wednesday said, "In Uttar Pradesh we will have a triple engine govt - with PM Modiji’s vision, CM Yogiji’s mission & people’s participation.
He also said that if the BJP is voted to power again the Yogi Adityanath government will provide one gas cylinder free of cost on Holi and Deepawali.
RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary will be joining Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee for a joint poll rally in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi on Thursday.
The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), which is fighting the UP assembly elections in tie-up with Yadav's SP and is its major ally for western region of the state, made the announcement on social media Wednesday. The joint rally will be held in Airhe village in Harhua block of Varanasi 12 pm onwards, the RLD said.
Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, goes to polls on March 7 during the seventh and last phase of assembly polls in UP. Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress supremo, had visited UP earlier on February 7-8 to hold a joint press conference with Yadav in Lucknow where she predicted SP's victory against the BJP, like her party had done in West Bengal state polls last year.
Banerjee had tweaked her party's poll anthem of "khela hobe' to 'Khela Hoga' (the game is on) and stressed “if Bengal can do it (defeat BJP), so can Uttar Pradesh". Results of the seven-phase UP assembly polls will be declared on March 10. (PTI)
It is due to India’s “rising strength” that the country was able to evacuate nationals stuck in war-torn Ukraine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during a rally in Robertsganj.
For long considered as the "Dalit laboratory of the BSP", Mayawati's party is faced with the daunting task of reclaiming its influence in the five assembly seats of the district after flight of her senior legislators to the Samajwadi Party.
Mayawati, who created the new district of Ambedkar Nagar out of Faizabad (now called Ayodhya) during her tenure as chief minister in 1995, held the sway over the area for long before the SP and BJP started denting her citadel in the last two state polls. In the 2012 elections, the SP had wrested from the BSP all the five assembly constituencies -- Katheri, Akbarpur, Jalalpur, Tanda and Alapur-- of Ambedkar Nagar. However, the equation changed in 2017 when the BJP emerged victorious on two seats and the rest three went to Mayawati. (PTI)
While the voting percentage in Uttar Pradesh dipped marginally in comparison to the 2017 Assembly polls, the Election Commission (EC) has claimed that the voting has, so far, remained satisfactory overall. Assembly elections in UP have, thus far, been held in 292 seats in five phases. The last two phases — sixth and seventh — will be held on Thursday and Monday, respectively, while the results will be declared on March 10.
“There has been an increase of about 2-3 percentage points of vote share, so far, as compared to the 2012 assembly polls, while in comparison to the 2017 elections, the vote share has dipped by nearly 1-2 percentage points. This must be looked at through the lens of prevailing conditions. The entire machinery of the Election Commission worked extensively to increase people’s participation despite Covid restrictions. Due to the Covid protocols, rallies and several other programmes could not be held. Despite such problems, the message of the importance of voting was passed on to households. Also, the polling has been very peaceful, so far, and there have been no demands for re-polling. We hope people will turn up in large numbers in the remaining phases,” said Additional Chief Electoral Officer (ACEO) Bhram Dev Ram Tiwari. Read more.
Her textbooks may have told her that Indian elections are the “largest festival of democracy”, but Imphal’s Laishram Pratima Chanu does not quite agree.
“For years, I have studied about our Constitution’s provisions, about the world’s largest festival of democracy where empowered voters can choose their own candidates,” says Pratima, a student of Political Science at Manipur University. “But in real life, it’s entirely different…at least in our Manipur.”
Elections in Manipur — which is slated to see the second phase of polling on March 5 — have long been infamous for the use of money and muscle power to decide the fate of candidates. “Votes are bought, insurgent groups issue diktats and threats, and poor voters have no choice but to listen,” Pratima says.
The 25-year-old’s frustration found an outlet, when recently, she recited her Meiteilon poem, Tung gi khunaigidamak’(For the future society) to a packed auditorium in Imphal, at an ‘Ethical Election’ themed event organised by a group of 40-odd youngsters who call themselves the ‘Youth Collective Manipur' (YCM). She lost no time signing up for it. Read more.
IN THE past five years, both Gorakhpur and the Gorakhpur Mutt have enjoyed the perks of being “the CM city” and “the CM’s shrine”, respectively. There are new roads across town, an upcoming AIIMS, fancy streetlights, plus a ‘Nau Grah Temple’ and open air theatre at the mutt, of which Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the head priest.
But that legacy comes with its share of great expectations, as Adityanath is realising, in his first Assembly election ever. No one doubts that the 49-year-old, who was the surprise CM choice for the BJP in 2017 and is now the unspoken only choice for the BJP now, will win from Gorakhpur Urban. The bets are on the scale of that victory. Gorakhpur district votes on March 3, the sixth phase of Uttar Pradesh elections.
Last time, the BJP had won eight out of nine seats in Gorakhpur district, with long-time party MLA Radha Mohan Das Agrawal retaining Gorakhpur Urban with a 60,000-vote margin. Plus, Adityanath himself is a five-time MP from Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat. “Maharaj” (as Adityanath is referred to) must match the record or better it, locals say. Anything less would be looked at as a setback. Read more.
The Congress on Tuesday accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of drafting a statement issued by a proscribed Kuki militant organisation asking the people of Manipur to vote for the BJP, and demanded repoll in two districts alleging that voting was not free and fair in the first phase of the Assembly election on February 28.
AICC Senior Observer Jairam Ramesh claimed that the sporadic incidents of violence reported from Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts during the polling were the result of the influence of Kuki National Organisation's (KNO) statement.
The statement was "drafted, prepared by the Union Home Minister and Chief Minister (N Biren Singh) and issued in the name of the KNO." Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah had visited Manipur to address poll rallies on February 22 and 23 respectively.
The KNO on February 25 had asked the people in their operational areas to support BJP candidates asserting that acting against the party would be termed as acting against the Kuki interest. (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday said Manipur's new identity is based on skills, start-ups and sports, and the state is becoming a gateway for international trade.
Addressing a virtual poll rally, Modi also said in the days to come, the BJP government will create a Rs 100-crore Manipur Start-up Fund as well as two special economic zones. “Today, Manipur's identity is being known through skills, start-ups and sports. The state, once known for bandhs and blockades, is now becoming a gateway for international trade and export,” the prime minister said.
The double-engine government of the BJP is establishing the National Sports University here, and efforts must be made to turn it into an international-level sports varsity, Modi said. (PTI)
In the past five years, both Gorakhpur and the Gorakhpur Mutt have enjoyed the perks of being “the CM city” and “the CM’s shrine”, respectively. There are new roads across town, an upcoming AIIMS, fancy streetlights, plus a ‘Nau Grah Temple’ and open air theatre at the mutt, of which Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the head priest.
But that legacy comes with its share of great expectations, as Adityanath is realising, in his first Assembly election ever. No one doubts that the 49-year-old, who was the surprise CM choice for the BJP in 2017 and is now the unspoken only choice for the BJP now, will win from Gorakhpur Urban. The bets are on the scale of that victory. Gorakhpur district votes on March 3, the sixth phase of Uttar Pradesh elections.
Last time, the BJP had won eight out of nine seats in Gorakhpur district, with long-time party MLA Radha Mohan Das Agrawal retaining Gorakhpur Urban with a 60,000-vote margin. Plus, Adityanath himself is a five-time MP from Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat. “Maharaj” (as Adityanath is referred to) must match the record or better it, locals say. Anything less would be looked at as a setback. Read More
The Congress on Tuesday attacked the government over the rise in prices of commercial LPG and milk and said it will take to the streets if fuel prices are hiked after the assembly elections.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said by raising the price of LPG, the government has proved that it has nothing to do with the suffering of people. He suggested that the prices of petrol and diesel could increase next.
"By increasing the price of LPG once again, the Modi government has made it clear that it has nothing to do with the sufferings of the common people. Today LPG, tomorrow petrol-diesel," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, using the hashtag "#KiskeAchheDin". (PTI)
For three days starting March 3, till curtains fall on the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Varanasi. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spent Monday and Tuesday in the city. Union minister and BJP in-charge of UP Dharmendra Pradhan has been here for a week and is likely to also stay till March 5, when campaigning concludes for the final phase. BJP president J P Nadda is reported to be headed here next after campaigning ended Tuesday for the sixth phase.
In the push for Varanasi, the PM’s Lok Sabha constituency which votes on March 7, the BJP is leaving no stone unturned. Apart from the message that a repeat win in eight of the eight Assembly seats in the district, as in 2017 (6 by the BJP, 2 by allies), would send, the high-decibel campaign is also meant to overcome any drag due to the anti-incumbency running high against two ministers from Varanasi who are part of the Yogi Adityanath Cabinet. Read More
Campaigning for the sixth phase of polling for 57 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, including Gorakhpur Urban from where Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is in the fray, came to an end on Tuesday evening.
Spread over 10 districts, polling in these constituencies will be held from 7 am till 6 pm on Thursday. The districts where polling is to be held in this phase include Ambedkar Nagar, Balrampur, Siddharthnagar, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Deoria and Ballia.
State Chief Electoral Officer Ajay Kumar Shukla said the campaign for the sixth phase ended at 6 pm and all preparations for voting on Thursday have been completed. (PTI)
Taking potshots at Samajwadi Party, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said SP chief Akhilesh Yadav does not have the strength to stop the BJP from coming to power in Uttar Pradesh.
He also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the latter came to know of the stray cattle menace troubling the farmers in the state only at election time.
"Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav does not have the strength to stop the BJP from coming to power. In the 2017 Vidhan Sabha elections, Yadav joined hands with the Congress and for 2019 Lok Sabha polls, it formed an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), but could not prevent the BJP from forming the government,” Owaisi said addressing an election meeting in Sikandarpur area. (PTI)
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday claimed the SP and the BSP have an understanding with the BJP in Uttar Pradesh and have not raised their voices against it in the last five years, fearing probes by central agencies.
Referring to the death of some people during anti-CAA and anti-NRC protests in the state allegedly in police firing, Gandhi said no SP or BSP leader went to meet their families. "It was only the Congress which remembered them." "The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the BSP have an understanding with the BJP. Don't keep yourself under any misunderstanding. Even if they manage to come in power, they will not be able to face the BJP," she said at an election meeting in the Itwa assembly constituency here.
"The SP and the BSP have done nothing against the wrong policies of the government in the past years as they fear an inquiry, they fear that some agency would come after them," Gandhi added. (PTI)
With the desertion of some leaders throwing up new challenges for the BJP in the Gorakhpur region, thousands of village-level workers of RSS have fanned out in 62 assembly constituencies urging people to exercise their franchise to ensure the party does not suffer due to splitting of votes.
In 2017, the BJP had won 44 of the 62 assembly seats in the 10 districts of Gorakhpur region, where Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has considerable influence, while the SP and the BSP got seven each, and Congress and an Independent one each.
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), which was then allying with the BJP, and Apna Dal (Sonelal) had also won one seat each in this area. However, this time the SBSP, led by Om Prakash Rajbhar, an influential leader of the backward classes in Purvanchal and the first to quit the post of minister in the Yogi Adityanath government, has allied with the Samajwadi Party (SP). (PTI)
The ongoing Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh is witnessing some family members of socialist leader and former prime minister Chandra Shekhar canvassing for the BJP, which their critics described as an "opportunistic" move.
Chandra Shekhar's native village is Ibrahimpatti located in Bilthara Road assembly constituency under the Salempur Lok Sabha constituency here. Neeraj Shekhar, son of the former prime minister, and Chandra Shekhar's grandson Ravishankar Singh 'Pappu' are working for the BJP in this Assembly elections.
"The BJP after its establishment in 1980 has been taking forward the ideology of socialism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always been giving respect to Chandrashekhar ji," Neeraj Shekhar told PTI.
High drama was witnessed as a Congress candidate was arrested for allegedly assaulting an on-duty polling personnel during the first phase of Manipur assembly elections, and later released on bail.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has decried the action against party candidate Lamtinthang Haokip in Saitu constituency of Kangpokpi district as a "murder of democracy" by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
Haokip was booked for various offences including "common intention for assault to public servant from discharging duty" based on a complaint filed with Imphal police station by the presiding officer of the New Keithelmanbi polling station, whom the candidate had allegedly assaulted. He was arrested on Monday morning while polling was underway and released on bail after midnight. (PTI)
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections seem to be of "chhalia" (deceit) versus Ballia.
Addressing an election meeting in the Phephana assembly constituency, Yadav said, "The BJP had promised to double the income of farmers if voted to power. Farmers should say if their income has doubled? Are the farmers getting fertilisers? Are their crops purchased on MSP?" "People of Ballia know how many times the BJP has cheated them. They have cheated you so many times that this election is appearing to be of 'chhalia' versus Ballia," he said.
The BJP's partners have also come to know of its lies, the SP chief said, intensifying his attack on the ruling party. (PTI)
Addressing a rally poll-bound Manipur's Thoubal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah Tuesday hit out at the Congress saying, "In 15 years, the Congress govt couldn't bring an AIIMS to Manipur. We've announced to build an AIIMS as soon as we form the govt again. Congress had left Manipur's economy at Rs 21,000 crore, but our government took it to Rs 35,000 crore. (ANI)
Addressing his second virtual rally for the day in Manipur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his promise to build an AIIMS in Manipur. Hitting out at the Congress, the PM said, "In 15 years, the Congress government couldn't bring an AIIMS to Manipur. We've announced to build an AIIMS as soon as we form the government again. Congress had left Manipur's economy to Rs 21,000 crore. Our government took it to Rs 35,000 crore," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Voters' turnout in almost two-thirds of the assembly seats during five rounds of polling in Uttar Pradesh is more or less the same as in the 2017 polls, news agency PTI has reported.
A look at the voters' turnout in the 2019 general elections in the state also doesn't reflect much of a difference. While some attribute it to coronavirus, others say voters have tested all the parties in the polls and hence are not enthused by new poll promises made by the competing parties.
ormer Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, when contacted, told PTI, "I wonder why the voter turnout has not increased this time. It could be because the voters' education efforts were less this time?"
Sanjay Kumar (Professor and Co-Director of Lokniti, a Research Programme at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies) told PTI, "If you compare with the previous elections, the turnout is not very low. It varies by 1-2 per cent. "Normally, whenever people decide to change the government, there is an atmosphere about it, which in turn increases the turnout. This was visible in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, as the polling percentage increased as compared to the 2009 elections," he said. (PTI)
Asked by news agency PTI whether parties such as the BSP could play a spoiler for Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP)'s alliance with Samajwadi Party, its chief Om Prakash Rajbhar said, "What do I say -- people are not even taking notice of parties such as the Congress and BSP."
People have made up their mind to throw the BJP out of power and the only alternative is the SP-led coalition, he said.
Asserting that the BSP is fighting polls with an aim to help the BJP form government, he alleged that BSP candidates are decided at Shah's behest, in his room and only given the symbol in the BSP office.
He cautioned people against voting in favour of the Mayawati-led party. (PTI)
The names of Bahujan Samaj Party candidates were decided in Home Minister Amit Shah's room and the party is fighting the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls with an aim to help the BJP, alleges SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, while cautioning people against voting in favour of the Mayawati-led party.
The Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief also slammed Yogi Adityanath over his repeated bulldozer jibes, saying 'will put his bulldozer on pokland (machine), and send it back to his home'.
In an interview with PTI during his hectic campaign schedule in the Poorvanchal region, Rajbhar said people have made up their mind for a change of government, and expressed confidence that the Samajwadi Party-led alliance of which his party is a part will get a clear majority. (PTI)
Responding the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's virtul address, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh told ANI, "PM Modi has announced to open an AIIMS centre in the state and work for the development of sports and start-ups. This will provide large scale employment for youth."
"We are planning to build an AIIMS in Manipur, This is the time of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. This decade is the decade of development and progress and Manipur is moving fast in this direction today," PM Narendra Modi said while addressing a virtual rally in Manipur.
He added, "For the development of sports in Manipur, we're building a Sports University in the state. Manipur is now being identified by skill, startups and sports."
"Start-Up Manipur is showing good results. In the future, our government is set to build a Rs 100 crore start-up fund as well," Modi was quoted as saying by ANI.
Speaking at a virtual rally in Manipur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is running several unifying initiatives such as ‘Go to Hills, Go to Village’ to defeat separatist propaganda. “For us, Manipur and Northeast is the centre of India’s unity,” the PM said. He also hit out at the Congress party, saying that it has not worked for the development of Manipur and encouraged separatism.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Monday alleged that the Centre "betrayed" farmers while the Yogi Adityanath government's promises remained unfulfilled as it urged the farming community of Purvanchal to "punish the BJP" in the Uttar Pradesh polls.
The appeal was made during a press conference of the SKM, an umbrella body of over 200 farmers' groups which had led the anti-farm law protests against the Centre, in Basti district in the state's eastern region as part of its "Mission UP" campaign.
The SKM stressed it was an apolitical group which is not telling people whom or which party to vote for but was only asking voters in Uttar Pradesh to "punish anti-farmer BJP" like it had done in the last West Bengal state polls. (PTI)
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday said the BJP was only against her family, which has not bowed down to it. The Congress general secretary's sharp rebuttal came during an election programme in the Tamkuhi Raj area of Kushinagar district where she campaigned for her party candidates ahead of the March 3 assembly polls.
In his speech in Maharajganj, PM Modi had called out "ghor pariwarvadis" (staunch dynasts) in an attack aimed at the Samajwadi Party. In the same speech, Modi gave several examples to stress "how dynasts cared only for their family interests" while the BJP worked for the welfare of the poor and deprived sections of the society.
While addressing an election rally in Kushinagar, Priyanka Gandhi said, "They talk of the dynasty when all the children of politicians have moved to their own party! Which dynasty were they against or abstaining from?" "They were against only my family because my family will never bow down to them. They know this that even if they kill us, we are neither going to compromise with the BJP nor bow down to them," she added. (PTI)
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said on Monday that his party is committed to providing jobs once it comes to power. He was addressing rallies in Siddharthnagar, Basti and Sant Kabir Nagar, which go to polls in the sixth phase on March 3.
“Have you seen Baba CM’s face recently? You can see he is shaken. He says I wake up at 12 (noon). Since then, we also keep a track of his activities. In the evening, you can see smoke coming out of his residence. Some days back, someone told me that he cannot sleep at night,” he said. Read more
The master strategist behind the BJP’s successive election wins, Union Home Minister and former party president Amit Shah has been involved every step of the way in the campaign for the five states, particularly UP. Credited with fashioning the BJP’s sweep last time, he took charge amidst indications of some bumps in the first phase. AMIT SHAH speaks to The Indian Express on why he is confident of a repeat win in UP, Centre-state relations, leaders leaving the party, and voter concerns like jobs.
Speaking about employment, Shah said, "Do not look at the job sector like Communists, who consider only government jobs as employment. This is not correct. There is a difference between jobs and employment. We have improved the employment situation. It’s natural that people talk about jobs. But you have to understand the difference – there are so many startups, we have improved the e-marketing opportunities.” Read the full interview here
Manipur Congress candidate Dr Lamtinthang Haokip, who is contesting from the Saitu constituency in Kangpokpi district, was arrested along with one of the party workers on Monday for alleged poll violence.
They were booked under the IPC and the Representation of People’s Act for various offences, including “common intention for assault to public servant from discharging duty”.
Voting was stalled in the polling station at around 10 am after violence broke out. The security personnel had to resort to firing several rounds in the air to disperse the mob. An initial report said that around 9.30 am, Congress supporters along with Haokip had allegedly entered the polling booth armed with deadly weapons and destroyed the EVM and other polling equipment. Read more
Separate FIRs were registered against MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh, alias Raja Bhaiya, and Samajwadi Party candidate Gulshan Yadav — both in the poll fray from the Kunda Assembly seat, which voted on Sunday. Both FIRs are related to alleged assault of two persons.
Raja Bhaiya was booked for allegedly assaulting a booth agent of the Samajwadi Party, while Yadav and his aides allegedly assaulted a farmer for “not supporting him” in the election. Both FIRs were registered at the Kunda police station in Pratapgarh, but no arrests have been made yet. Read more
With the Uttar Pradesh elections entering the last leg with polling for sixth and penultimate phase on March 3, Varanasi is set to be the centre of campaign.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be going to stay in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi for three days — from March 3 to March 5, the last day of canvassing for the seventh phase of elections. On March 3—when polling will be going on in 57 seats of the sixth phase, Modi will be addressing public meetings in Jaunpur and Chadauli districts. Read more
After its chief Akhilesh Yadav’s Karhal seat, the Samajwadi Party (SP) is leaving no stone unturned to ensure a win in its stronghold Malhani constituency in Jaunpur district where gangster-turned-politician Dhananjay Singh is contesting on a Janata Dal (United) ticket, with the party having scheduled public programmes by SP patron and founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and his brother Shivpal Yadav.
Mulayam and Shivpal have only campaigned for Akhilesh while Shivpal too has not campaigned for any other SP candidate before this. Akhilesh has on several occasions taken a dig at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over Singh not being arrested, despite videos of him “roaming freely” having emerged multiple times. On January 5, Akhilesh had tweeted a video of Singh playing cricket in public and said, “BJP’s work: Criminals roam free. Baba ji, make a list of the top ten of your closest mafia and then make a team. Like the IPL, you should start an ‘MBL’ meaning ‘Mafia BJP league’. The city police chief has already laid out the pitch for him, and he is the captain. This completes the eleven.” Read more
Good morning and welcome to our live blog!
Stay tuned as we bring you the latest election-related updates!