Rahul Gandhi addressing a rally in poll-bound Punjab. (Photo: Twitter/@INCIndia)Elections 2022 Highlights: Lashing out at former Congress leader Capt Amarinder Singh, Rahul Gandhi Thursday said the ex-Punjab CM was removed from his position as he had “refused to waive electricity bills of the people of Punjab.” Addressing a rally in Fatehgarh Sahib, Rahul said, “Why Amarinder Singh was removed? These are internal matters, but I will tell you all today. He was removed because he refused to waive the electricity bills of the poor people of Punjab.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday slammed Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi for his remark on ‘bhaiyas’ from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, saying Guru Gobind Singh and Guru Ravidas too were born outside Punjab. Addressing a rally in Abohar ahead of the February 20 Punjab assembly polls, Modi urged voters to bring the BJP-led alliance to power in the state for its all-round development. He also hit out at the Congress, accusing it of betraying farmers and said it was the BJP government which made record purchase of grains.
Meanwhile, Punjab CM Channi Thursday clarified that his statement, which was “only directed at a few individuals causing disruption in the state,” was “twisted”. “My brothers and sisters from UP and Bihar have contributed towards building Punjab. We have been together for generations and I love and respect all of them like my own family members,” he said in a video message.
People attend a rally of AAP MLA Raghav Chadha, in Nabha. (Photo: PTI)
Campaigning in the Samajwadi Party (SP)‘s bastion Karhal in UP’s Mainpuri district Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said if the BJP wins the Karhal constituency, the SP will lose the Assembly polls in the entire state.
SP president Akhilesh Yadav is in the fray from Karhal, with the BJP fielding Union minister SP Singh Baghel against him.
Addressing a public meeting, Shah said, “Do you want BJP to form government with win on more than 300 seats?… I give you an idea… the work of 300 seats can be done by one single seat,” adding “Karhal me kamal khila do, poore UP me Sapa ka supda saaf ho jayega (Make BJP win in Karhal and SP will lose across UP).” Read More
With three days left for the Punjab Assembly polls, all eyes are on the Amritsar East constituency, where two firebrand leaders – state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu and senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia – are locked in a pitched battle.
The high-profile constituency had proved to be a cakewalk for cricketer-turned-politician Sidhu in the previous election, who had switched to the Congress from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) before the 2017 Assembly polls. Contesting as a Congress candidate, he had then clinched the seat by over 40,000 votes.
Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur was the first candidate to win Amritsar East in the 2012 polls as a BJP candidate after it was carved out as a new constituency following delimitation. The saffron party was then an ally of the SAD. Read More
Targeting Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi over his remark that he won’t let people of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar enter Punjab, derogatively calling them as ‘bhaiyyas’, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Thursday said that Punjab was the land of Guru Nanak Dev who always yearned for an egalitarian society and that the Congress was now trying to disintegrate the country.
Addressing a public rally in Moga, two days before Punjab votes on February 20, Singh said, “Punjab is the land of great Guru Nanak Dev. He gave a message of love, tolerance, peace and humanity and yearned to see a society which was above caste and creed, for welfare of each and every human being without any discrimination. But what is Congress doing now? Their CM Channi says that he won’t let people of UP and Bihar enter Punjab.”
“Main dekhta hu kiski himmat hai jo UP, Bihar ke logo ko nahi aange denge.. (Let me see who dares to stop people of UP and Bihar from coming to Punjab). Hamare Guru Nanak kehte hain ki sabka bhala karo aur ye Bharat ko tukdo mein baantna chahte hain (Our Guru Nanak says we should work for welfare of all and they want to disintegrate the country into pieces).” Read More
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president and former chief minister Mayawati on Thursday hit out at political opponents terming them anti-development and facilitators of injustice, and promised that her party will reinstate the rule of law and prevent migration of the youth for jobs on coming to power.
“We are fighting to form a majority government like in 2007 to get rid of the casteist, narrow-minded, arrogant and dictatorial rule of the BJP. You will have to support BSP, the only party that cares for all sections of the society, to ensure this,” Mayawati said addressing an election rally in Banda.
The BSP formed its government in 2007 assembly elections with 206 seats but its seat count reduced to 80 in 2012 elections and further to just 19 seats in 2017 election. (PTI)
Following reactions from the BJP and AAP over his 'UP, Bihar bhaiyas’ remark, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi Thursday clarified that his statement, which was only directed at a few individuals causing disruption in the state, was twisted. 'My brothers and sisters from UP and Bihar have contributed towards building Punjab. We have been together for generations and I love and respect all of them like my own family members,' he said in a video message.
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Addressing a rally in the SP stronghold of Karhal, from where its president Akhilesh Yadav is contesting the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah took potshots at the party on Thursday for bringing veteran leader Mulayam Singh Yadav for campaigning. Accusing Akhilesh Yadav of indulging in dynastic politics, he said the previous SP government in Uttar Pradesh had 45 members from his family.
"I had heard Akhilesh Yadav say on television that he would now come to Karhal only on March 10 (the day the poll results are scheduled to be announced). But he came here six days later and under this scorching sun, also had to bring Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav). When the beginning is like this, what will be the end result?" Shah asked.
Incidentally, Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav made his first appearance in the ongoing election process on Thursday, addressing a meeting for his son Akhilesh Yadav at a distance of only about three kilometres from the venue of Shah's rally. (PTI)
Even with less than three days left for Punjab to go to polls, the ruling Congress party is yet to release its manifesto. While senior party leaders are worried over the delay, those in charge of the manifesto said it may be released online Thursday. While Punjab will vote on February 20, the campaigns will come to an end on Friday.
A senior Congress leader on condition of anonymity said, “What are they waiting for? Why was the committee for the election manifesto even formed?”
Another leader said, “It seems that they have no clear vision and only announcements are being made. They are only focusing on their internal fights.” Read More
Asking voters to give the Congress government another shot at running the state, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said: “Punjabiyat is the sense that doesn't bow down before anyone but the almighty. Out of all the political parties that come before you and talk about Paunjabiyat, one has already bowed down before its industrialist friends.”
Campaigning for the BJP, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, at a rally in Shikohabad, said: “Give us another opportunity and for the next five years no farmer in Uttar Pradesh will pay electricity bill under our government.”
Was Sant Ravidas born in Punjab? He was born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. You say that won't let bhaiya of Uttar Pradesh enter (in Punjab). So, will you turn away Sant Ravidas too? Will you erase his name?” asked Prime Minister Modi.
Slamming Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over the “UP, Bihar ke bhaiye” remark, Prime Minister Modi said: “Congress always pits people of a region against others. Congress CM Channi gave a statement yesterday that was applauded by a member of a family in Delhi. Who are they insulting with such statements? There is not one village here where people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar don’t work.”
Hitting out at the ruling Congress Party, the Prime Minister said: “History is witness to the fact that the Congress has always betrayed farmers. There was a long-pending demand to implement recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. They sat on those files and kept lying. When we formed our government at the Centre, we implemented those recommendations.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a rally in the city of Abohar in Punjab’s Fazilka district, said: “Today, Punjab needs a government that draws inspiration from patriotism, from the development of the state. BJP has come before you with dedication, with the resolve of security and development of Punjab.”
Former Prime Minister and senior Congress leader Dr Manmohan Singh, while campaigning for the party ahead of the remaining phases of the Punjab election, said: “People are remembering our (Congress) good work. They (BJP) tried to dishonour Punjab’s Chief Minister and the people of the state over PM Modi's security issue. Rich people are getting richer, while the poor are getting poorer.”
Aam Aadmi Party national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal holds a roadshow in Fatehgarh Churian of Gurdaspur district.
50-year-old Basheshar Nath Kaushal and his friend Sukhwinder Singh are engrossed in a discussion over the next government in Punjab at former’s sweet shop at Jhanjheri village near Kharar on a sunny morning. “Dejected” at the “stubborn system” that “refuses to change”, the duo have decided they will vote for “badlaav” (change) this time. “Earlier, I had thought of abstaining from vote. But now, I will vote and vote for a change. Iss vaar jo vi ho jaave, assi badlaav layi vote karna (Whatever may happen this time, we will vote for change). I am sick and tired of the traditional parties. They take turns to loot the people. This time we will just close our eyes and vote for the third alternative,” says Kaushal, as Sukhwinder nods in agreement. Read More
Surjeet Singh is a farmer from Jodha Bhaini village of Fazilka’s Jalalabad constituency close to the Pakistan border. As voting day approaches, Surjeet is clear that he will vote for jobs. “Ours is the last village on our side. While we need upgradation of basic infrastructure like roads, sanitation, water supply, but I don’t believe in focusing on these…getting jobs for our children is a larger issue…Lots of work has been done in villages like irrigation facilities in border areas, RO installation, road construction in the past 10 years. But now we need employment..it is a very big issue. We need jobs. Rozgar milna zaroori hai…colleges don’t have job oriented courses, teachers are not paid well in colleges..so many issues are interconnected,” said Surjeet Singh.
The constituency of 154 villages has around 2.11 voters and is represented by Congress’s Raminder Singh Awla, who won the bypoll in 2019 after SAD chief Sukhbir Badal vacated the seat he had won in 2017 Assembly polls. Locals this time speak of Sukhbir as a strong candidate since he has chance of becoming the state’s CM. Read More
At the village Mallewal in Ropar’s Chamkaur Sahib constituency, represented by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, the wait for a bridge to reach the villages on the other side of Sutlej has been too long. Now the villagers in Mallewal, Ghurkewal, Jindanpur, Malana and several others on both banks of the river, are hoping that if Channi becomes CM again, a bridge on the river might become a reality. Read More
In the Yogi Adityanath government’s development narrative, the Bundelkhand Expressway holds special place, for being the first expressway project to be conceptualised and rolled out under it. For the backward region, it comes with the promise of not just a four-lane road but also a defence corridor. However, with almost 86% of the work done, there is no special enthusiasm among villages along the expressway, which are waiting for the benefits to first reach them. Read Lalmani Verma's report
Days before Punjab votes, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, with Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra by his side and applauding him, kicked up a row when he called upon Punjabis to “unite” and not let “bhaiyas from UP, Bihar and Delhi” enter the state. His remarks drew a sharp response from rivals AAP and BJP which said it was “shameful” that he and Priyanka were targeting “a particular community” and calling for the “boycott” of “people from UP and Bihar”. Read More
Good morning and welcome to The Indian Express's coverage of the 2022 Assembly elections. Follow this space for latest news and updates from the five poll-bound states — Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur.