Assembly Election 2022 LIVE Updates: AAP cancels rallies in poll-bound UP amid rising COVID-19 cases

BJP MP's have planned to observe silence at 11 am at Gandhi statue in Parliament tomorrow in view of breach of the PM security in Punjab on Wednesday. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday virtually inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 29 development works worth Rs 2,450 crore in Manipur.

Members of the BJP in Manipur burned effigies of All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi and its senior leader Rahul Gandhi here late on Thursday in protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security breach in Punjab a day ago.

Former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday said there should be no hindrance in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state. The Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch said it is the responsibility of the state where the PM goes to ensure his safety.

The election expenditure limit for candidates has been hiked to Rs 95 lakh from Rs 70 lakh for Lok Sabha elections and to Rs 40 lakh from Rs 28 lakh for assembly polls, the Election Commission said on Thursday citing a Law Ministry notification. The decision of the government is based on the recommendation made by the poll panel.

The Election Commission on Thursday reviewed the Covid situation with the Union health secretary and experts, collecting inputs on necessary safety measures to be ensured during the democratic exercise and emphasising the need for vaccination of all eligible people in five poll-bound states.

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security was breached in Punjab, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday prayed for the top leader's long life at Shree Lingaraj Temple here. Accompanied by state BJP unit president Samir Mohanty and other leaders, Vaishnaw reached the 11th-century Lord Shiva shrine to offer prayers and chant 'maha mrityunjaya mantra'. The minister also posted on social media a video clip of him performing 'aarti'.

Union Home Minister Ami Shah, who was scheduled to visit Manipur on Thursday and Friday to inaugurate and lay foundation for 29 projects worth of Rs 2,450 crore, has cancelled his trip, officials said on Thursday. An official of the Manipur government said that Shah's office has communicated to the state government that the Home Minister's two-day tour has cancelled, though no reason was cited.

The Congress on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of defaming and insulting Punjab and Punjabiat by playing petty politics on the issue of "security breach" during his visit to the poll-bound state. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said at a press conference that the prime minister and the ruling party are trying to create a controversy over the issue, which is dangerous for democracy.

Former Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday demanded President's Rule in the state after the "grave security lapse" during the prime minister's visit and said the state government should own up to it.

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'life threat' gimmick was aimed at toppling the democratically elected government in the state. Addressing a gathering in Tanda in Hoshiarpur district after laying the foundation stone of development work, the Chief Minister said there was no threat to the life of the Prime Minister but he cancelled his programme on Wednesday because of the thin presence of people at the BJP's rally.

Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and AIADMK Coordinator O. Panneerselvam on Thursday condemned the Congress government in Punjab for the serious breach in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security during his recent visit there. In a statement issued here, Panneerselvam said it is clear that Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has failed in his dury and so has his government.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said it would have been better to gracefully postpone the Prime Minister's rally in Punjab knowing that rain had occurred and chairs were vacant on the venue instead of levelling allegations against Punjab CM and the government.

After the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday cancelled all public rallies and meetings for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in view of the surge in coronavirus infections. AAP UP in-charge and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said that now, all rallies will be held virtually. In the rally to be held on January 8 in Varanasi, Sanjay Singh will address people through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Union minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday said that the home ministry is collecting information about the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab and will take big and tough decisions. Thakur made this remark to a question during a media briefing on cabinet decisions in New Delhi. 

Former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday lashed out at Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa for behaving like "cowards" by running away from their responsibilities. Addressing a public meeting in Samana town, Capt Amarinder said: "There was a grave security lapse and the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister, who heads the Home department, should own the responsibility." He said true leaders own up responsibilities and do not pass the buck on others. "This is no leadership, it is cowardice", he said while referring to the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister trying to shift blame on others over the grave security lapse during the Prime Minister's visit to Ferozepur on Wednesday.

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 29 development works worth Rs 2,450 crores in Manipur through video conferencing on Thursday. 

Barely 700 people turned up for the BJP rally and that forced the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "retrace his steps" and later the blame was pinned on the state government citing security threats, said Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi on Thursday.

The Election Commission on Thursday reviewed the current Covid situation in the five poll-bound states with Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, AIIMS Director, Dr Randeep Guleria, and ICMR chief Dr Balram Bhargava. Five states scheduled for Assembly polls this year are Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab, and Manipur. According to a source, the health experts have briefed the top Election Commission officials to focus majorly on virtual rallies, seeing the unprecedented rise in the Covid cases across the country. The need to ramp up the vaccination process was also emphasised.

Senior BJP leaders including the chief ministers of party ruled states are holding prayers at temples across the country for the well being and long life of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. Chief Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Biplab Kumar Deb are participating in prayers in their respective states. Several party office bearers are also taking part in prayers organised in different temples in the national capital.

Rajasthan Chief Minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday reacted to Prime Minister Modi's security breach in Punjab and said that it is unfortunate that politics is being done on the matter. 

Read to know more 

Yesterday's incident will be written in black ink for Punjab govt & politics. This security breach was conspired not just by Punjab but Delhi Congress as well, considering their statements. Rahul Gandhi should speak up: BJP Punjab President Ashwani Sharma

The BJP-led coalition government has decided to grant a 'lifelong cabinet status' to the state's seniormost lawmaker and sitting Congress MLA Pratapsingh Rane for his "great service" to Goa on Thursday.

The Prime Minister of India is not a person, it is an institution. Everyone should be respectful of this institution. In a democracy, if such institution becomes weak, the democracy will get destroyed.  Yesterday the Prime Minister was in Punjab where the Congress party is in power. His security was compromised and even after that Congress is criticising the PM. I ask the people in this rally: should we forgive Congress for compromising PM's security?: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh 

The poll body officials held a meeting with the Union health secretary. A complete review was done on the current Covid infection status. The inputs were taken from medical experts on safety measures. The Election Commission officials emphasised to the Health Secy to ensure vaccination of all eligible persons. The discussion was also held with Home Secretary on the law order situation in poll-bound states.

SSP Ferozepur asked us to vacate the road saying that the prime minister was going to the rally venue by road. We thought he was bluffing: BKU (Krantikari) chief Surjit Singh Phool

When PM was coming to Punjab, what arrangements did he make regarding security? The news about him saying that he survived makes it clear that it was a stunt. It was an attempt to find a cheap way to gain public sympathy: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait

Punjab BJP President Ashwani Sharma on Wednesday rejected the high-level committee set up by the state government to probe the security lapses that occurred during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ferozepur and alleged that Chief Minister Charanjeet Singh Channi was the "ringleader of conspiracy".

After meeting Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, the BJP state chief said, "We reject the committee set up by the Punjab government to investigate the matter."

"This committee formed by the Chief Minister will never be able to find out anything because he himself is the ringleader of this conspiracy," he alleged.

President Ram Nath Kovind today expressed concern over the breach in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security during his visit to Punjab, government sources said. Modi is also scheduled to meet Kovind over the issue.

Full Coverage

Supreme Court to hear tomorrow, plea seeking probe in PM Modi's security breach matter

Watch Full Report

The way BKU leaders jammed the Moga-Ferozepur road (yesterday, January 5) near PM Modi's rally... and made BJP leaders travel on patchy road, they deserve our appreciation. I thank all of them, says BKU-Krantikari leader Surjeet Singh Phool in viral video

Full Coverage

Farmers protest, block road on the spot where PM Modi's convoy was halted in Punjab's Ferozepur.

Watch Full Report

The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Friday a plea to ensure there is no breach in the security of the prime minister in future. A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana took note of senior advocate Maninder Singh's submission that a serious breach in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security took place in Ferozepur, Punjab, on Wednesday.

After that, the prime minister returned from poll-bound Punjab without attending any event, including a rally.

“We will list it tomorrow as the first item,” the bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, said on Thursday. 

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan reaches Election Commission office to brief EC officials on COVID-19 situation in the country

Punjab government constitutes a high-level committee to investigate lapses during PM Modi's visit to Ferozepur. 

The committee would comprise Justice (Retd.) Mehtab Singh Gill, Principal Secretary (Home Affairs) and Justice Anurag Verma

Committee to submit its report within 3 days

Full Coverage

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurates development projects at Gomti Nagar railway station, Lucknow

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) will host a conference on 'Muslims in UP - Development, security and inclusion', in Lucknow on Friday.

The conference will dwell at length on a recent study on the current conditions of Muslims in terms of demography, challenges in education, including madrassas, participation in industrial sector, entrepreneurship, population aspects, criminalisation and incarceration.

The study, which will be tabled at the conference, is based on data collected mostly from government reports available in public domain and from works of well-known names in the field of research.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan to brief officials of Election Commission of India today over COVID-19 situation in the country; Niti Aayog Member (Health) Dr. VK Paul to also attend the briefing

As many as 180 teachers from Punjab staged a protest outside Congress party president Sonia Gandhi's residence here on Wednesday over the pay scale issue.

According to the Elementary Teacher Training (ETT) teachers, over 4,000 were recruited by the Punjab government in 2016 and after the completion of five years of service, the salaries of 180 teachers were deducted by 50 per cent.

Regarding the cancelled event of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Ferozepur in Punjab, national spokesperson of Bhartiya Kisan Union, Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday said one needs to investigate whether there was a security lapse or the farmers were expressing their anger.

A day after a security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Punjab visit, Bharatiya Janata Party's six-member delegation led by state president Ashwani Sharma will meet Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit at 11 am on Thursday in Raj Bhawan to give a memorandum on the matter.

Full Coverage

Amid differences of opinion amid the ruling coalition majors JD-U and BJP on the former's push for a caste-based census, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has emerged as a forceful proponent of the move and is urging Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to take a "bold decision" on the issue.

The assurance was made by state RJD President Jagadanand Singh on Wednesday.

The Election Commission of India held a virtual meeting with political parties and poll officials from Manipur on Wednesday and said that for the first time, the option of postal ballot would be provided during the upcoming Assembly elections to 80+ citizens, persons with disabilities and Covid suspects or affected persons.

In view of rising COVID-19 cases, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's two public meetings that were to take place in Uttarakhand have been postponed.

The Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has decided to grant Rs 1,000 as one time grant per beneficiary over and above the monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500 being given to old, widow, destitute women, dependent children and disabled persons in order to mitigate their hardships amid COVID-19 pandemic.

Goa Congress leader Rakhi Prabhudessai Naik joins TMC

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's proposed Vijay Rath Yatra in Gonda and Ayodhya later this week has been postponed. Programmes of the party president slated for January 7, 8 and 9 have been postponed and new dates will be announced soon, a party leader said on Wednesday on condition of anonymity.

The leader did not give any reason for the postponement of the programme. According to party sources, Akhilesh Yadav was proposed to visit Gonda and Ayodhya on January 7, 8 and 9 and address public meetings.