Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed his first virtual rally 'Jan Chaupal' in Uttar Pradesh today ahead of Assembly elections in the state. The rally was broadcast across 98 mandals in 21 assembly seats in five districts of western Uttar Pradesh going to the polls in the first phase.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma joined the virtual rally from studios in Agra and Lucknow respectively.
Ahead of polls, Congress in charge of Uttar Pradesh elections Priyanka Gandhi Vadra began a door-to-door campaign from the Noida assembly constituency today.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh filed his nomination today in Patiala.
In Manipur, BJP supporters burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and shouted slogans as protests erupted yesterday after the party named candidates for next month's elections, leaving many disappointed.
Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Punjab, and Uttarakhand will vote over seven phases starting February 10, with counting of votes scheduled for March 10.
A total of 690 Assembly constituencies will vote over the next two months, with the maximum in UP (403 seats) followed by Punjab (117), Uttarakhand (70), Manipur (60) and Goa (40).
Here are the LIVE Updates on Assembly Elections 2022:
Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday said that his model for the state will create eight lakh jobs for the youth and provide assistance to five lakh entrepreneurs.
The Punjab Model derives its inspiration from Guru Nanak Dev's philosophy of "Sarbhat Da Bhala".
Congress leader Sachin Pilot, during his door-to-door campaign in Dehradun's busy Paltan Bazar, came down heavily on the Narendra Modi government on the issue of rising inflation, saying it has given no respite to people on that front.
The Congress today announced seven more candidates, including three women, for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.
Horses worth Rs 95.82 lakh, two weapons valued at Rs 3 lakh and immovable properties worth Rs 52.95 crore were part of the total assets of Rs 122.77 crore declared by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal in his affidavit.
The Election Commission today issued a notice to the Bulandshahr Sadar BJP candidate over alleged violation of Covid health guidelines after a video showed him dancing with a large number of his supporters, officials said.
Nawanshahr Congress MLA Angad Saini today filed his nomination as an Independent candidate from the seat after Congress denied him a ticket allegedly after his legislator wife Aditi Singh joined the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.
Aditi Singh was a Congress MLA from UP's Rae Bareli and quit the party to join BJP recently. She had reportedly dared Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest from Rae Bareli.
The Congress has fielded Satbir Singh Saini from Nawanshahr.
(PTI)
Akhilesh Yadav's main rival in his debut Uttar Pradesh election will be Union Minister SP Singh Baghel, who was once close to the Samajwadi Party leader's father Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Manipur MLA P Saratchandra today joined the Congress, a day after quitting BJP, having failed to secure a ticket for the Assembly polls.
Senior BJP leaders N Biren and N Joykumar followed him.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will campaign in Lakhimpur and Pilibhit on Wednesday for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.
BJP has been aggressively campaigning to ensure the party's return to power in the crucial state. The party's top leadership is engaged in public meetings and powerpack campaigns. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been going door-to-door to seek support for the party's candidates.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed his first virtual rally "Jan Chaupal" in Uttar Pradesh.
The last date of campaigning for the first phase of UP polls is February 8.
(ANI)
Punjab Lok Congress chief Amarinder Singh today predicted an "abysmal" defeat for Navjot Singh Sidhu from Amritsar East, saying that the Punjab Congress chief has won from this seat in the past only with the support of the BJP.
He also called Rahul Gandhi's announcement that the party's chief ministerial face will be decided with inputs from the ground a "farce".
Rajya Sabha MP Sardar Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa's passion for Punjab's progress is always visible, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after meeting him today. Mr Dhindsa is the chief of Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt), also an ally of the BJP.
"Had a wonderful meeting with Rajya Sabha MP, Sardar Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa Ji. It is always a delight to hear his insightful views on key subjects. His passion for Punjab's progress is always visible," PM Modi tweeted.
The upcoming state polls will write the country's history for the next century, Akhilesh Yadav said, urging people to defeat negative politics. Akhilesh Yadav said his "mission" is positive politics with progressive thinking.
"This nomination is a mission as this UP election will write the country's history for the next century. Let's take part in this movement of positive politics with progressive thinking. Defeat negative politics, remove it. Jai Hind!," the Samajwadi Party leader said in a tweet in Hindi.
(PTI)
Days ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in five states, the Election Commission today extended the ban on roadshows, Pad-yatras, cycle/bike/vehicle rallies and processions till February 11, 2022. However, the poll body has allowed some relaxation in the number of people allowed at meetings and election campaigning.
A maximum of 1,000 people will now be permitted for physical public meetings of political parties or contesting candidates in designated open spaces with a maximum of 1000. Earlier, the limit was 500.
The Delhi High Court Monday refused to entertain a petition by a Congress leader seeking postponement of assembly elections in five states on the grounds that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 was spreading fast.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today accused the opposition of inducing voters to "seek revenge" on the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, saying it was a far cry from the developmental policies of the Yogi Adityanath government.
A bench comprising Chief Justices N V Ramana and Justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli, however, directed Mr Majithia to surrender before a trial court after the Punjab assembly polls scheduled on February 20.
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal today filed his nomination papers from the Jalalabad Assembly constituency in Punjab's Fazilka district.
The party wants to assure the people of the state that voting for Congress won't be a wasted vote and that the elected representatives will not defect after being elected.
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The BJP's Sanghamitra Maurya - the daughter of former Uttar Pradesh minister Swami Prasad Maurya - has claimed that she will not quit the party and campaign for it anywhere in the state except against her father.
Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah during a political program in Goa on Sunday took a swipe at the Congress party and said that Goa is just a vacation spot for the Gandhi family
Congress incharge of Uttar Pradesh elections Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will go on door-to-door campaigning today from the Noida assembly constituency. This is her first physical visit during the poll campaign as earlier she had been conducting live interactions on social media. Congress has named Pankhuri Pathak as its candidate from Noida. Ms Pathak is the vice-chairperson of the All India Congress Committee's social media cell. Congress has been campaigning for the UP elections under the women empowerment slogan "Ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon".
In the streets around a religious site in Mathura where a temple and mosque stand side-by-side, the handful of Muslim restaurants that remain are mostly empty or shuttered.
A ban on meat last year by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, who issued the order on religious grounds, has decimated their trade.
Now Yogi Adityanath, up for re-election in key state polls next month, has turned his attention to the temple itself, suggesting he will champion the Hindu cause in a long-running dispute with Muslims over who owns the site.
The issue has become a central part of the ruling party's campaign to extend its grip on power in Uttar Pradesh, home to 200 million people and the bellwether of national politics.
Who will be the Congress's Chief Ministerial candidate for next month's Punjab elections - incumbent Charanjit Singh Channi or state unit boss Navjot Sidhu?
The Election Commission of India will hold a review meeting today regarding the continuation of the ban on physical rallies and roadshows in view of the upcoming assembly elections. Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra will meet Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan today. The ECI will also meet with Health Secretaries and Chief Secretaries of poll-bound states virtually. Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, the Election Commission of India on January 22 extended the ban on physical rallies and roadshows till January 31.