Assembly Elections Highlights: Farmers' Debt To Be Waived, Says Priyanka Gandhi In Congress's UP Promise

Campaigning for 2nd phase of UP Assembly polls ends; voting on Monday
The high-decibel campaigning for 55 Uttar Pradesh Assembly seats which are going to the polls in the second of the seven-phase election on February 14 came to an end on Saturday evening as senior leaders made a last-minute campaign for their party candidates.

Polling will be held on Monday from 7 am to 6 pm, the election office here said.

The areas going to polls in this phase have a sizeable Muslim population influenced by religious leaders of the Barelvi and Deoband sects. These areas are considered to be the stronghold of the Samajwadi Party.

Manohar Parrikar's son, local heavyweight, and AAP turncoat vie for Panaji pie in multi-corner contest
The BJP rebel and son of the former Chief Minister the late Manohar Parrikar, local heavyweight Atanasio Monserrate of BJP, AAP's former chief ministerial candidate for Goa now contesting on a Congress ticket, and an AAP nominee trying his luck for the third time - all are in the fray from Panaji constituency, making it one of the capital contests as Goa votes on Monday.

Opposing him is Utpal Parrikar, the son of the late chief minister and BJP stalwart Manohar Parrikar. Upset over being denied a ticket by the BJP, the Parrikar junior is making his electoral debut as an independent candidate.

Punjab Assembly polls: Valuables worth Rs 414.35 crores seized after enforcement of Model Code of Conduct, says Punjab CEO
Valuables worth Rs 414.35 crores have been seized by various enforcement teams after the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct in the state of Punjab ahead of the Vidhan Sabha elections till February 11, informed the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Dr S Karuna Raju, on Friday.

The State Excise Department also seized expired beer of brands like Foster, Heineken, Miller from the liquor vends of M/s Choujar Wines, Amritsar. The stock of expired beer was immediately taken into possession by the department and the liquor vendor has been booked for violation of Excise Rules, Dr Raju said giving further details.

Work Done By Channi Government In 111 Days Is Unmatchable: Congress Leader
Senior Congress leader Rajeev Shukla today praised Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, saying the kind of work done by his government in 111 days is unmatchable and said Chief Ministers of other states can also draw an inspiration from this. Channi government completed 111 days before the model code came into force a month ago. "I am surprised how can a chief minister do so much work in just 111 days, it is unmatchable and not an easy job. Every person must appreciate it and other chief ministers too should draw inspiration from this," Mr Shukla said. (PTI)

Punjab Polls: PM Modi To Address Rallies In Punjab On February 14, 16, 17
With a little more than a week to go for the upcoming assembly polls in Punjab, scheduled on February 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold public meetings on February 14, 16 and 17, covering all the three regions of Malwa, Doaba and Majha. State BJP General Secretary Subash Sharma said PM Modi will address the first rally in Jalandhar on February 14. He will address the second rally in Pathankot on February 16 and the third rally in Abohar on February 17. (ANI)

UP Polls: BJP's Frustration Shows That They Will Lose UP Polls: Lalu Yadav
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Yadav today said that the BJP's frustration shows that they will lose Uttar Pradesh assembly polls and further said that RJD will support Samajwadi Party in the elections. "BJP's frustration shows that they will lose UP polls. They've only been talking about riots and temples. Seventy years ago, our ancestors made the British leave this country but now the British have returned in form of BJP... We support Samajwadi Party in UP polls," Lalu Yadav told news agency ANI.

UP Polls: AAP Candidate Joins Samajwadi Party On Election Eve
A day before polling, the Aam Aadmi Party candidate from Charthawal assembly constituency, Yavar Roshan, on Wednesday resigned from the party and joined the Samajwadi Party. Announcing his support for the SP candidate Pankaj Malik in Charthawal town in Muzaffarnagar district, Yavar Roshan said he has resigned from the AAP. (PTI)

Participation Of Women In UP Government Jobs Will Be Increased: Anurag Thakur
The participation of women in government jobs in Uttar Pradesh will be increased and, if needed, the BJP government in the state will bring a law in this regard, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said today. The BJP leader, who is campaigning for the UP assembly polls, hailed the Yogi Adityanath government for its work to ensure women's safety, respect and self-reliance in the last five years and said that the party has resolved to continue in the same spirit in future. (PTI)

Goa Polls: Amit Shah Aims For Prosperity Of Goans During Next 5 Years
Union Home Minister Amit Shah today addressed poll-bound Goa and said that the next five years will be of prosperity, stability and growth for Goans. He also recalled the contributions made by Goans during the independence struggle and by former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. (ANI)

Farmers' Protest Will Have Impact On UP Polls: Farmer Leader Naresh Tikait
Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Naresh Tikait today said that his 'apolitical' organisation is not supporting any party but the 13-month-long farmer protest will have an impact on Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. Speaking to news agency ANI, Mr Tikait said, "BKU always has been an apolitical organisation but we did support BJP in the past. But now, we do not want to interfere in public's mandate. We are not supporting any political party and public has full right to decide whom to caste the vote. It (farmers' protest) will have an impact as it stayed for 13 months. Farmers were not respected and this will have impact in the UP elections." (ANI)

Punjab Polls: Congress Failed To Deliver Justice To Anti-Sikh Riots victims: Smriti Irani
Union minister Smriti Irani today attacked the Congress, accusing it of not delivering justice to the victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots and said it was the BJP government which put the guilty behind bars. Ms Irani also hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly supporting those who gave the slogan of "dividing the country" and said voting for the party means voting for those who want to divide the country. (PTI)

Punjab Polls: BJP Manifesto Deceptive, Full Of Lies: AAP's Bhagwant Mann
AAP leader Bhagwant Mann today dubbed as "deceptive and full of lies" an 11-point "sankalp" document of the BJP and its allies for the Punjab Assembly polls. "It has nothing for farmers, labourers, traders, industrialists, students and the youth of Punjab," he said in a statement. "From past experiences, we know that BJP leaders do not deliver on their election promises," said Mr Mann, who is the Aam Aadmi Party's Chief Ministerial face on the polls. The document is "deceptive and full of lies", he alleged. (PTI)

Punjab Polls: Congress MP Jasbir Singh Dimpa's Brother Joins Shiromani Akali Dal
Khadoor Sahib Congress MP Jasbir Singh Dimpa's brother Harpinder Singh Gill 'Rajan' today joined the Shiromani Akali Dal ahead of February 20 state assembly polls. Mr Gill was welcomed into the Akali fold by party president Sukhbir Singh Badal. He was appointed the general secretary of the party on the occasion. (PTI)

Punjab Polls: 24-Hour Surveillance For Lok Insaaf Party, Congress' Ludhiana Candidates
The returning officer has ordered 24-hour video surveillance of Lok Insaaf Party candidate Simarjit Singh Bains and Congress nominee Kamaljit Singh Karwal from the Atam Nagar seat in Punjab's Ludhiana. The directions came following a clash between supporters of both candidates on Monday night. Three people were injured and five vehicles, including a car of Karwal, were vandalised in the incident. (PTI)

In 5 Years, Uttarakhand Roads To Be As Good As Those In US: Nitin Gadkari
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari today said the network of roads in Uttarakhand will become as good as the those in the US in the next five years. Talking to reporters after releasing BJP's manifesto ahead of the upcoming polls, Mr Gadkari said the Rs 12,500 crore Chardham all-weather road project will be completed by December this year. "Besides making the pilgrimage to the Himalayan temples safe during all seasons, it will be the lifeline of the people of Uttarakhand," he said. He also said the Centre has decided not to allow any cutting of trees for the construction of Chardham all-weather road. (PTI)

Goa Polls: Goa's Youngest Party Fields Candidates In 38 Out Of Total 40 Seats
Goa's youngest political party, which started out as a social organisation fighting to preserve the rights of persons of Goan origin - is looking to make a mark in the crowded electoral scene in the tiny state where it has fielded candidates in 38 of the 40 assembly seats. The party, Revolutionary Goans, is ranged not only against big established political entities like the Congress and the BJP, but also a host of other outfits like the AAP, the Trinamool Congress, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Goa Forward Party in the February 14 polls. (PTI)

UP Polls: People Of UP Will Teach BJP A Lesson, Says Mayawati
Asking people not to be swayed by tall promises of political parties, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati today claimed people of Uttar Pradesh will teach the ruling BJP a lesson in the assembly polls because of its "faulty policies". "Ahead of the UP assembly elections, drama and hypocrisy (of political parties) is going on to mislead people with tall promises. People are suffering due to the wrong policies of the BJP government and are eager to teach a lesson to the anti-people government," Mayawati said in a statement. (PTI)

UP Polls: Homebuyer To Contest Polls To Set Things Right
Issues of homebuyers in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of western Uttar Pradesh have once again become the focal point of agendas of several political parties ahead of the state Assembly polls.While candidates of the BJP, Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party, Aam Aadmi Party, among others, have promised to resolve the issues, Annu Khan, a homebuyers' rights activist, is also contesting as an independent candidate. (PTI)

Manipur Polls: Himanta Sarma In Manipur For Election Meetings
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who's BJP's key northeast strategist, is in election-bound Manipur for a closed-door meeting with the state's chief minister Biren Singh about the BJP's campaign strategy. He also held a meeting with intellectuals from state capital Imphal. He is expected to hold more election meetings during his day-long visit. Mr Sarma is credited for stitching the 2017 BJP-led alliance in Manipur. The central party leadership has this time sent Mr Sarma to Imphal to chalk out strategy, said BJP sources.

No Fine For Trains With 300, Why For Bikes With 3: Akhilesh Yadav's Ally
Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh elections, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar today said that if they come to power, people would be able to ride a motorbike with three people on board.

"A train carries 300 passengers on 70 seats & doesn't get challans. Why's there a challan if 3 people ride a bike," Mr Rajbhar told news agency ANI.

"When our government comes to power, three riders will be able to ride a bike for free," he added.

UP polls Phase I: Nearly 50,000 Paramilitary Personnel Deployed
Nearly 50,000 paramilitary personnel from 412 companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed at different locations to maintain poll-bound state's law and order as the election campaign for the first phase of assembly polls in western Uttar Pradesh ended on Tuesday evening, reported ANI.

The police have sealed the borders of the State and strict vigilance is underway to maintain peace in 58 assembly constituencies which will go for polling tomorrow.

"The highest deployment will be seen in Muzaffarnagar, Aligarh and Meerut. In Mathura alone, 75 coys of paramilitary have been deployed and the total force deployed is 21,000 in this constituency," the security officials told ANI about the deployment of troops in sensitive areas.

Manipur Polls: 56 Candidates File Nomination In Imphal West
With the filing of nominations for the first phase of the Manipur Assembly Elections concluded on Tuesday, altogether 56 candidates from different political parties have filed their nominations from the 13 Assembly Constituencies in Manipur's Imphal West district for which polling will be held on February 27, reported ANI.

The filing of nominations began on February 1 and concluded Tuesday.

Deputy Chief Minister and NPP leader Shri YumnamJoykumar Singh who filed his nominations Monday from 10-Uripok Assembly Constituency filed his nomination again from the same constituency on Tuesday at the office of the Returning Officer Azingwungshi Khamrang.

Charanjit Channi Only Good To Be A Minister, Not Chief Minister, Navjot Sidhu Irresponsible: Amarinder Singh
Former chief minister and Punjab Lok Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh attacked Congress leadership in the state saying that Congress' Chief Ministerial face Charanjit Singh Channi is good enough to become a state minister but not CM and party state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu is an "irresponsible person."

"Both Sidhu and Channi are not good for Punjab, Channi can become a minister but not CM whereas Sidhu is not a responsible person," said Amarinder.

Slamming Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal over his promise to pay Rs 1,000 per month to every woman in Punjab if chosen to power, Amarinder charged that Delhi Chief Minister should make this promise come true for the state he is ruling and then make promises in Punjab.

Trinamool Wants Priyanka Gandhi To Be Barred From Campaigning In Goa
Trinamool Congress' Goa unit has written a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer demanding to prohibit Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from campaigning in the state, alleging that she violated COVID-19 norms during the election campaign in Navelim Assembly constituency on February 7.

The party has claimed that supporters and leaders of Congress were not wearing face masks, not observing social distancing norms and had gathered in large numbers.

On Last Day Of Campaigns for UP Polls Phase 1, Leaders Give A Final Push
Tuesday was the last day of campaigning for first of the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, which will start from Friday. As campaigning ended, top leaders from across parties were seen campaigning in western UP, where people will vote for 58 seats spread across 11 districts.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath campaigned in Moradabad, Amroha, Modinagar and Jewar. At his rally in Jewar's Rabupura, he reminded people of BJP's development projects while hitting out at other parties.

BJP Says Stones, Cow Dung Thrown At Its Convoy In UP
BJP candidate and MLA Sahendra Ramala's convoy was allegedly attacked in Baghpat's Chhaprauli on Tuesday.

Cow dung was thrown on the convoy, which was also pelted with stones, BJP workers alleged.

BJP leaders said a procession was being taken out in support of the BJP candidate when cow dung and cow dung cakes were thrown at the vehicles.