Assembly Elections 2022 Highlights: Under SP govt, no electricity on Holi & Diwali, but always on Eid & Muharram, says Yogi

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Under SP govt, no electricity on Holi & Diwali, but always on Eid & Muharram: Yogi

Attacking the Samajwadi Party, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Thursday claimed that the Akhilesh Yadav government did not provide electricity to people on Holi and Diwali, but there was always power on Eid and Muharram. "But with us (in power), there is no discrimination," he told an election rally.

'Sarvgyaani' prime minister unaware of UP's woes, alleges Priyanka Gandhi

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi describing him as "all-knowing" who reaches out to the US and Russian leaders when they are ill but is unaware of the woes of the people of Uttar Pradesh. At an election rally in Gonda, she also targeted Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the stray animal menace, accusing him of taking note of the issue when election approaches.

Oppn driven by 'vote bank' politics not country's interest: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attacked opposition parties, saying guided by "vote bank and dynastic politics", they have always sacrificed the interest of the country and the poor. Modi also questioned the "silence" of rivals over the court's recent verdict on Ahmedabad blasts, saying, "Being hostage to vote bank politics, they would even not hesitate to insult the army or the police". Modi was addressing a rally for nine constituencies of Amethi and neighbouring Sultanpur. The prime minister's remarks came days after a special court in Ahmedabad sentenced to death 38 members of the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen in the 2008 serial blasts case. The court also sentenced 11 other convicts to life imprisonment.

Aditya Thackeray debuts in UP poll campaign, calls for Yogi's ouster

Hitting the campaign trail in Uttar Pradesh, Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying "hatred between religions" has increased during his rule and time has come for a change. Thackeray addressed a wellattended public meeting in Dumariyagang assembly seat in Siddharthnagar district, terming Shiv Sena candidate Shailedra alias Raju Shrivastav as an "agent of change". He was also scheduled to address a public meeting in Koraon assembly seat in Prayagraj district, where the party has fielded Arti Kol.

Opposition sees development works in Ayodhya, Kashi through communal lens: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took a swipe at rival political parties alleging they see development works in Ayodhya and Kashi through communal lens. Addressing an election meeting here, he claimed the name Prayagraj evokes pride and those who hate this name can't do any good for people.

'Defeat the party which snatched jobs, destroyed farmers', Akhilesh against BJP

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday urged people to defeat the government which increased inflation, corruption, snatched jobs of youth and destroyed farmers. "The government which has increased inflation, corruption, snatched jobs, destroyed farmers, made the labourers walk for miles, failed to give medicines and ruined police, will you not remove it from power," he said attacking the BJP. It is only inflation, corruption which has been doubled in the double-engine government. Will you not teach them a lesson?" the SP president said addressing an election meeting in Kunda.

Punjab: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) General Secretary & former Punjab minister, Bikram Singh Majithia, sent to judicial custody till March 8 by a Mohali court. Majithia had surrendered in the court today & applied for regular bail in a drug case.

Voters have blessed BJP in first four phases of UP polls: PM Modi

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said voters have blessed the BJP in the first four phases of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and the opposition math on division of votes has gone wrong. He said February 24 holds special importance for him as the PM Kisan Yojna was launched three years back this day. "Also I had become the MLA for the first time on this day 20 years ago," he said. The Prime Minister was addressing an election rally for Amethi and its neighbouring Sultanpur districts.

PM Narendra Modi addresses a rally in Amethi. He says:

- 'Parivarvaadis' are so far from ground reality that they can't see what's happening on the ground. They want to come in authority to increase their family's power & rule over you (public) like kings. Our power isn't bahubali/mafia, but UP public.
- February 24 is an important day in my life as 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi' completes 3 years today. People used to spread rumours in 2019, said PM Modi will shut this scheme once polls get over. We won after polls and the scheme continued. Amethi farmers received over Rs 450 crore.
- When vaccination started, Modi didn't run to get vaccinated. We got frontline workers, elders with comorbidities vaccinated first. Had 'parivarvaadis' been in power, they would have broken all lines to get vaccinated first. Even my mother is waiting for her turn for the third dose.

UP polls: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public rally in Gauriganj, Amethi. Union Minister Smriti Irani, BJP leader Maneka Gandhi and others are present at the rally. 

Peace, development, Naga talks top poll agendas in Manipur's Ukhrul



A freshly painted mural of Naga rebel leaders Late Khodao Yanthan, Late Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah with hands holding up Naga flags in the background draws attention to the northern boundary wall of a mini stadium here. Hanging from the top right corner is a BJP flag tied to a post and on the left is that of Naga People's Front. The frame mirrors the current election mood in this small hill town where people are gearing up to choose a candidate to represent them in the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly but with the lingering effect of the unfinished talks between the Centre and NSCN (IM) under the Framework Agreement signed in 2015, serving as a reminder of the violent past that this northeastern part of Manipur had witnessed during the Naga insurgency.

UP polls: VHP workers fan out across constituencies to distribute prasad, temple soil
 

With the temple construction going on at the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya, the VHP has been distributing "prasad" and soil from the temple site among people in various assembly constituencies of Uttar Pradesh with an appeal to ensure installation of a 'nationalist' government in the state. Along with packets of Ram Lala's prasad and 'charan ruj' (soil from temple site), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) workers are seen distributing leaflets that carry an appeal for electing a government which has an honest leadership and honours national, cultural and religious heritage. Voters have been appealed to elect a government that works for the development of Ayodhya and the uninterrupted construction of the Ram temple besides setting up a harmonious society, free from the politics of caste. The VHP is a right-wing organisation based on the ideology of Hindu nationalism.

SP, BJP discuss problems facing common people only under pressure: Priyanka Gandhi



Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the BJP and the Samajwadi Party of talking about terrorism during the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections while diverting attention from the "central discourse" on unemployment, inflation, empowering women and helping small businesses and farmers. Gandhi also said that other parties have woken up to the menace of stray cattle and the need to raise women issues only after her party spoke about them during the poll campaign. Political parties like the SP and the BJP have consistently attempted to divert the discourse from the reduction of inflation, providing employment, empowering women, supporting small and medium businesses and helping farmers to earn better. These should form the central discourse during election but they are discussing terrorism. They only begin to speak of issues that people are facing in their daily life under pressure, Gandhi told PTI.

Do we need such govt: Tikait slams BJP for not meeting farmers after 13 months of stir
 

"Do we need such a government," farmer leader Rakesh Tikait wondered as he slammed the BJP government, accusing it of not meeting farmers after 13 months of their protest in Delhi. The Centre held 11 rounds of formal dialogue in Delhi with a delegation of farmer leaders of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which had spearheaded the over-a-year-long stir against the now-repealed three farm laws. The last such meeting was held on January 22, 2021, after which there was no formal dialogue and the protest ended in December last year. Tikait was in Prayagraj as part of SKM's 'Mission UP' with other farmer leaders like Yogendra Yadav in the midst of the intense assembly elections in the state. Asked if the previous Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government was better in UP, Tikait said, "It was at least better than this one (Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government)." Prayagraj goes to polls on February 27 in the fifth phase of elections in the state. "Political parties have now starting talking about farmers. This is a big achievement of farmer unions. We don't know who will form the government in the coming days, but whoever forms it must fulfil their promises," he said.