Assembly Elections 2022: Counting of votes will be held on March 10. (File)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday declared Charanjit Singh Channi as his party's chief ministerial face for the high-stakes Punjab Assembly polls.
Mr Gandhi made this announcement while addressing a virtual rally in Punjab's Ludhiana.
"People of Punjab said we need a CM from 'gareeb ghar' (poor family)," said Mr Gandhi.
The other main contender for the party's Chief Minister face was Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, a Jat Sikh face.
The party had taken feedback from its leaders and workers, and had also sought the opinion of the public on who should be its chief ministerial candidate through an automated call system.
Mr Gandhi also lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he is not the PM but a "king".
Have you seen him helping anyone on roadside, he asks.
Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Punjab, and Uttarakhand will vote over seven phases starting February 10, with counting of votes scheduled for March 10.
Here are the Highlights on Assembly Elections 2022:
UP Polls: Will Relax Age Limit In Police Recruitment If Voted To Power, Says Akhilesh Yadav
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said if voted to power, his government will relax the age limit in state police recruitment to facilitate those who had turned overage during the Covid pandemic.
Addressing a public meeting, Mr Yadav said, "Many youngsters have become overage for recruitment in the Army and police during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will send a special request to the Army to recruit the youth of Uttar Pradesh for the service of the nation. If needed, we will also relax the age limit in police recruitment."
The SP chief also said, "I have come to know that the (market) share of vodka has gone up in the last few years after BJP came to power. I want to assure you that we will provide a subsidy of Rs 100-200 crore for setting up industries to process potatoes in the region and make chips and snacks. If needed, we will even set up a plant to manufacture vodka to prevent the wastage of potatoes grown by the farmers of this region."
"This region is famous for its potato crop but the produce is wasted due to lack of support from the government. As a mark of protest, Samajwadis had dumped their potato produce outside the residence of the chief minister in Lucknow (in January 2018)."
"The government had assured to buy potatoes from the farmers but they did not do so," the SP chief claimed.
Nishad Party Releases List Of 3 Candidates For Uttar Pradesh Assembly Polls
Nishad Party on Sunday released another list of three candidates for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
The candidates and their respective constituencies are Ketaki Singh (Bansdeeh), Ramesh Singh (Shahganj), and Rishi Tripathi (Nautanwa).
Nishad Party is an ally of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming polls.
Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections will be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7.
The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will be done on March 10.
How Rahul Gandhi Handled Tricky Navjot Sidhu vs CS Channi Announcement"Political leaders are not born in 10-15 days, leaders are not made by participating in television debates," Congress's Rahul Gandhi said today at a virtual rally in Ludhiana, minutes before announcing Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi as the party's Chief Ministerial candidate, crushing once again Navjot Sidhu's aspiration for the top post. Mr Gandhi, however, made it clear that the decision was not his.
"I have not decided about it. I asked this to Punjab's people, youth, members of working committee... I may have an opinion but your opinion is more important than mine... Punjabis told us that we need a person who can understand the poor," Mr Gandhi said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday indicated that Yogi Adityanath is the BJP's choice as the next chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, saying if his government is formed again he would make up for the time lost by the state due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The PM's remarks at a virtual poll rally went beyond praise for Mr Adityanath for the work done by the state's BJP government during his term -- and appeared to settle the debate over the party's CM face in these assembly elections.
BJP Government In UP Doesn't Listen To Poor, Middle Class: Priyanka GandhiAhead of Assembly polls, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Uttar Pradesh, saying that it "does not listen to the poor, middle class" and only thinks of benefit of a few of its 'capitalist friends'.
She also said that the residents of the Doob region of Noida are entitled to their right to have electricity and water.
"Gross injustice is being done to the residents of Doob region of Noida. They have every right to get electricity and water. This government does not listen to the poor, middle class. It only thinks about the benefits for its few capitalist friends. We have to bring about a change together," said the Congress leader in a tweet in Hindi.
She assured the residents of the Doob region that the Congress party stands in solidarity with them and will make every possible effort to solve their problems.
Punjab polls: Valuables worth Rs 329.49 crore seized for violation of Model Code of ConductAfter the Model Code of Conduct came into force in Punjab for Assembly elections, various enforcement teams have seized valuables worth Rs 329.49 crores for violation of the code till February 5, 2022, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said on Sunday.
CEO Punjab, Dr S Karuna Raju said that the surveillance teams have seized 39.62 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs 22.34 crore.
"Similarly, the enforcement wings have also recovered psychotropic substances valued at Rs 280 crores and confiscated unaccounted cash of Rs 23.06 crore," he added.
The Chief Electoral Officer also revealed that as many as 1,233 vulnerable hamlets have been identified.
Besides this, 3,198 persons have been identified as probable sources of trouble, he said adding that out of these persons preventive action had already been initiated against 2,527 persons while the remaining would also be brought to book.
Raju said that from a security point of view 1,593 persons have been bound down under preventive sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) act.
JustIn | Rahul Gandhi says Charanjit Singh Channi is presumptive Punjab Chief Minister
(Sunil) Jakhar Ji said in his speech that Congress leaders are gems. Since 2004, I am in politics...I've some experience and understanding of politics. Political leaders are not born in 10-15 days. Such leaders are not created on TV, in debates. Politicians become leaders after fighting for years, struggles, gets beaten, Congress has no dearth of diamonds. To attack on our parties, to defame our party, lies are said about our leaders: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Congress's virtual rally in Ludhiana, Punjab
People of Punjab has given me a very tough task: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Congress's virtual rally in Ludhiana, Punjab.
UP Assembly Elections 2022: People Getting Threat Calls After Samajwadi Party's Emergence As Key Contender, Says Akhilesh YadavSamajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday alleged that people are being threatened over the phone against voting for his party after it has emerged as a powerful contender in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
He also asked people to record such threatening calls so that based on them FIRs could be lodged after his government comes to power.
"Since the SP has emerged as a powerful contender in the elections, people are being threatened over the phone. If anyone gets such a call, record it. I want to say that the recordings will be considered as (the basis of) FIRs," Mr Yadav said without taking any names.
Mr Yadav made the allegations while addressing workers' meet in the Bah assembly constituency of Agra. He said the assembly polls in the state are for the future of Uttar Pradesh and to save the country's Constitution.
"This election is for the future of the UP and to save the Constitution. The BJP can do anything and nobody knows till they do it. Did anyone know demonetisation was going to be announced?" he asked as proof of his allegation.
I was in BJP for 13 years and they never cared. Rahul Gandhi appointed me as Punjab Congress President in the fourth year only. I can never thank enough: Navjot Singh Sidhu at Congress's virtual rally in Ludhiana, Punjab.
In Rahul Gandhi's Arrival, Congress Projects Message Of Unity In PunjabTroubled within over the Punjab Chief Minister issue, the Congress today made an effort to project a picture of unity as Rahul Gandhi arrived at the party headquarters in Chandigarh in a car driven by former state unit chief Sunil Jakhar. At the back were Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Mr Jakhar's successor Navjot Sidhu - the two leaders battling over the top post.
It is still not known if Mr Jakhar is in the running as well. His comments about being left out as he was not a Sikh had set off a controversy earlier this week and the matter was brought into spotlight by jeers from Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party, which is going all out to win Punjab.
Manipur Chief Minister's 2-Front Battle, Week-Long Break Ahead Of PollsWhen Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh returned to the campaigning on Saturday with a fierce attack on the opposition Congress, what stood out more was perhaps his nearly week-long time-out - a highly unusual sabbatical considering the state will vote in just three weeks.
The Congress's campaign promises are all "propaganda" and the BJP will "absolutely" make a comeback, he said, as he launched his poll campaign from the Khurai constituency after filing his nomination.
Aiming to return to power, the Manipur Congress on Friday had released its manifesto for the assembly polls, promising 50,000 new jobs each year and one-third reservation for women in all government jobs.
Uttar Pradesh now safe for women, says PM ModiPrime Minister Narendra Modi said that Uttar Pradesh is now safe for women and they can step out without fear and pursue their ambitions. He said that the 'Nari shakti' of Uttar Pradesh has determined to make Yogi Adityanath the chief minister once again.
"Uttar Pradesh is the heart of India; it is the heartbeat. Uttar Pradesh has always shown the direction to the country. And today again Uttar Pradesh is showing a new path to the country. Only the will get the blessings of the people, who will serve the people of UP by becoming a servant with the spirit of service, will develop the people of UP," said the Prime Minister.
"Today in UP, sisters and daughters are saying with an open heart- earlier we used to feel afraid to leave the house, now criminals shiver in BJP rule. UP is now safe for girls and women; young women can now step out without fear and pursue their ambitions," he added.
Previous UP governments' "only agenda was to loot": PM ModiPrime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the previous Uttar Pradesh governments, saying those in power earlier were not concerned with faith or people's needs and their only agenda was to loot the state.
Addressing voters virtually in Mathura, Agra and Bulandshahr days before the first phase of the state assembly polls, PM Modi said the people of Uttar Pradesh have decided that development will be the biggest issue in the upcoming assembly elections.
"Those who were in power earlier were not concerned with faith or your needs. Their only agenda was to loot UP," the prime minister said.
People in Punjab want Charanjit Channi as Chief Minister candidate: Congress MLAAhead of the Congress announcing their chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Punjab Assembly polls, Congress leader Kuldip Singh Vaid said that most of the Punjab people want Charanjit Singh Channi to be announced as the Chief Ministerial candidate.
Mr Vaid said, "Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi in his 111 days of rule has done very well. So everybody wants Channi to be the Chief Minister. If Channi is declared CM candidate, Congress will get additional 10 seats."
At 5:30 PM today, he will address the people of North Goa via video conferencing. Double engine BJP governments will provide stability and good governance to the people of Goa.
PM Modi to address virtual rallies in UPPrime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with people in the districts of Mathura, Agra and Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh via video conferencing.
"Based on our governance record, BJP is confident of getting the people's mandate yet again in UP," he said.