Assembly Election 2022 LIVE Updates: Contesting all Assembly seats in UP big gain for Congress, says Priyanka

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will campaign in Lakhimpur and Pilibhit on Wednesday for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been doing aggressive campaigning in order to return to the dais of power in Uttar Pradesh. Party's top leadership is engaged in holding public meetings and powerpack campaigns. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also held door-to-door campaigns in support of party candidates.

Hitting the ground for the first time in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh since the imposition of ban on physical rallies, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday kickstarted her door-to-door campaign in the Noida Assembly constituency from city's Kali Mata Mandir and said that the party candidate Pankuri Pathak will defeat sitting MLA Pankaj Singh, son of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The Election Commission Monday issued a notice to the Bulandshahr Sadar BJP candidate for alleged violation of Covid health guidelines after a video showed him dancing with a large number of his supporters, officials said. They said that the Returning Officer has asked Pradeep Chaudhary to submit an explanation within 24 hours. The Election Commission has banned roadshows, 'padyatras', vehicle rallies and processions till February 11 in all poll-bound states.

Nawanshahr Congress MLA Angad Saini on Monday filed nomination as an Independent candidate from the seat following the denial of party ticket to him for the Punjab Assembly polls, allegedly after his legislator wife joined the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. Saini’s wife Aditi Singh was a Congress MLA from UP’s Rae Bareli and had quit the party to join the ruling BJP there recently. She had reportedly dared Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest from Rae Bareli. The Congress has fielded Satbir Singh Saini in Angad's place from Nawanshahr.

The BJP is once again marginally improving its performance in January in comparison to the December survey while Samajwadi Party may witness a marginal decline, according to India TV-Ground Zero Research Opinion Poll.

In Uttar Pradesh's Awadh region which has 111 seats, the BJP may get around 45% vote share, SP may get 35% vote share, Mayawati's BSP may bag 12% vote share, Congress may get 5% vote share and others may also get around 3% vote share.

According to India TV-Ground Zero Research Opinion Poll, the Samajwadi Party (SP) may become the top party in the Rohilkhand region of Uttar Pradesh which has 52 assembly seats. The BJP may get around 33% vote share, SP may get 43% vote share, Mayawati's BSP may bag 16% vote share, Congress may get 4% vote share and others may also get around 4% vote share.

BJP may emerge single largest party in Western Uttar Pradesh which has 97 seats in the forthcoming assembly elections 2022. According to the India TV-Ground Zero Research Opinion Poll, BJP may win around 58-62 seats, SP may bag somewhere between 34-38, BSP may win between 0-2 while Congress and others may not be able to open their accounts.

All-India Congress Committee spokesperson Charan Singh Sapra on Monday accused the BJP governments at the Centre and in Uttarakhand of "picking pockets" of the poor to fill their coffers. Giving a call to people to dislodge the BJP from power if they want to defeat inflation, Sapra said prices of essential commodities like pulses and edible oil have risen like never before besides those of petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders. The Modi government follows the policy of making the poor poorer and the rich richer, Sapra said at a press conference in Haldwani. "Wherever there are double-engine governments only the Ambanis and Adanis have benefitted," he said, accusing the BJP governments of "picking pockets" of the poor to fill their coffers. The change of chief ministers by the BJP in Uttarakhand was a cover-up for their failures, he said. "The BJP does nothing. It only changes chief ministers or the names of places," he said.

BJP MLA P Saratchandra on Monday joined the Congress, a day after he quit the saffron camp, having failed to secure a ticket for Manipur assembly polls. Senior BJP leaders N Biren and N Joykumar also followed suit. Saratchandra, who represents Moirang seat, accused the BJP of favouring newcomers to old-timers. He was apparently referring to M Prithivraj, who switched over from the Congress to the BJP last year, and has been given the saffron camp's ticket from Moirang. Prithviraj had lost to Saratchandra by less than 400 votes in the last elections. Biren, a former minister, and Joykumar also quit the saffron party after he was denied candidature. Congress election in-charge Bhakta Charan Das welcomed all three of them, and asserted that the party would be bagging 40 of the 60 seats in the upcoming elections. Two other BJP leaders Thangjam Arunkumar and Th Brinda joined the JD(U) during the day. The JD(U) had recently got a shot in the arm as legislator K Joykishan and ex-minister Abdul Nasir joined the party. 

BJP government has ensured a safe and secured environment for women in Uttar Pradesh. Our Govt has brought in a major positive change in the lives of people. We will win this Assembly election very comfortably. There is no doubt about it: BJP MP Hema Malini

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday said her party will be contesting all the 403 Assembly seats in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls after nearly three decades, terming it a "major achievement". The Congress general secretary and the party in-charge for Uttar Pradesh also said she is mentally prepared to face FIRs, court cases or even a jail term in her attempt to put up a fight against the Yogi Adityanath government.

Punjab Lok Congress president Amarinder Singh on Monday trashed CM Charanjit Singh Channi's claims over welfare works, claiming that the ruling Congress government is taking credit of the works which were done when he was the chief minister of the state. Amarinder Singh had quit the Congress following his unceremonious exit as the state CM last year. Later, he floated the Punjab Lok Congress and now has a alliance with the BJP and the SAD (Sanyukt) for the Assembly polls scheduled for February 20.

Instead of talking about the upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls being a fight of "80 versus 20", Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the ruling BJP should put out statistics on employment, healthcare and education in the state, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Monday. She also hit out at the Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh for showing no accountability towards people over issues of development and toeing the line of caste-based politics. Interacting with a group of Noida residents during poll campaigning to seek support for Congress candidate Pankhuri Pathak, Priyanka Gandhi cited the example of Chhattisgarh, where her party is in power.

Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch Parkash Singh Badal (94) became the country's oldest candidate to fight elections as he filed his nomination papers from Lambi on Monday. Former chief minister Amarinder Singh, too, filed his nomination papers from Patiala Urban Assembly constituency for the February 20 polls in the state. FULL STORY

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday targeted the Samajwadi Party, saying five years ago muscle men and rioters used to be the law unto themselves in Uttar Pradesh. Addressing his first virtual poll rally after the announcement of dates for the assembly elections in the state, Modi said during the previous government when Western Uttar Pradesh was burning due to riots, those in power were celebrating. READ FULL STORY

With less than a month left for the Punjab assembly election, Congress state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday indirectly taunted chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi's decision to contest election from Bhadaur (SC) assembly seat in Barnala district saying passenger will be self-responsible for his belongings. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra interacts with various groups in Noida. "Political parties just make announcements that they will provide a large number of jobs when they will come into power but never tell how will they do it," she said.

These people (leaders of Samajwadi Party) are threat to women security. They exploit farmers, play with the future of the youth, and orchestrate riots. They are 'Sawajwadi' by name, 'parvarwadi' by thought process, and 'dangawadi' by profession: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) chief Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and hailed his "passion for Punjab's progress". The meeting comes ahead of assembly polls in Punjab where the BJP is fighting in alliance with former chief minister Amarinder Singh's Punjab Lok Congress and Dhindsa's SAD (Sanyukt). "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," Modi tweeted along with a picture of a meeting.

UP Polls: BJP releases list of candidates 

UP Polls: Congress releases 5th list 

Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch Parkash Singh Badal (94) became the country's oldest candidate to fight elections as he filed his nomination papers from Lambi on Monday. Badal, a five-time chief minister, completed the paperwork before the returning officer of Malout in Muktsar district, officials said.

Congress national general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala on Monday attacked the BJP over price rise and urged people to get rid of the ruling party for relief from inflation. Launching a booklet on inflation ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, the Congress leader said while crematorium, graveyard and gun culture are being raised, issues of unemployment and price rise remain untouched. He said while inflation is on the rise, in the rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP CM yogi Adityanath, assets of the BJP increased from Rs 780 crore to Rs 4,850 crore, a 550 per cent jump in the past seven years. Calling himself a farmer, Surjewala said, "This is the first government, which has imposed tax on fertilisers, pesticides, tractors and farming implements."  

The Election Commission has now decided to allow physical public meetings of Political parties or contesting candidates in designated open spaces with a maximum of 1000 persons (instead of existing 500 persons) or 50% of the capacity of the ground or the prescribed limit set by SDMA, whichever number is lesser, from February 1, 2022 for all phases. However, no road shows, Pad-yatras, cycle/bike/vehicle rallies and processions shall be allowed till February 11.

The BJP has fielded Union Minister SP Singh Baghel against Akhilesh Yadav from Karhal seat of Mainpuri. Baghel had been a minister earlier and is now a Member of Parliament(MP) from Agra Lok Sabha seat.

PM Modi holds virtual rally in Uttar Pradesh

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses virtual rally in UP

Here are the pointers

• Five years ago, dabangg (strongmen) & dangai (rioters) used to run the show in UP. Their words were treated as Govt orders. People of western UP can never forget that when this region was burning in riots, the then Govt was celebrating
• The illegal occupation of the homes, land and shops of the poor, Dalits, backwards and the downtrodden was a sign of socialism five years ago
• Five years ago, there were news of the migration of people every other day. Abduction & demand for ransom had ruined the lives of the middle-class and traders. The Yogi Govt has brought the state out of these situations in the last 5 years
• The BJP Govt in Uttar Pradesh has taught the meaning of the law to the mafias and goons who used to consider themselves above the law. That is why these goons are desperate to come to power anyhow
• We are working hard to bring about a change in Uttar Pradesh. On the other hand, they are looking for an opportunity to seek revenge from you (public). Seeking revenge is their ideology
• The biogas plants being set up in Uttar Pradesh will not only help tackle the problem of stray cattle but also provide a new avenue of revenue creation for farmers

Before 2017, the law & order situation was a challenge in the Assembly constituencies voting in the first & second phases of Assembly elections. Now, there is a good environment of safety & security in these areas & girls are safe: UP CM Yogi Adityanath

It was a challenge for girls to step out of their homes in districts like Bulandshahr & Meerut before 2017. Now, a sense of safety among girls & traders and opportunities provided to farmers & youth are being seen as achievements of the double-engine BJP govt: UP CM

Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi with Samajwadi Party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav at Parliament, New Delhi

Punjab Lok Congress founder and chief, Capt Amarinder Singh files his nomination from Patiala

Several turncoats, cutting across political lines, have been rewarded with tickets by their new parties for the February 20 Assembly polls in Punjab. Prominent among these include former sports minister and sitting MLA Gurmit Singh Sodhi, MLA Fatehjang Singh Bajwa and former minister Anil Joshi.

Sodhi, who was the sports minister in the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government, later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The saffron party has now fielded the four-time Guruharsahai MLA in Ferozepur district from Ferozepur City Assembly seat.

Another former Congress leader and MLA Fatehjang Singh Bajwa, who switched over to the saffron party, has been fielded from Batala. Bajwa is a sitting legislator from Qadian. The Congress has fielded his elder brother and Rajya Sabha member Partap Singh Bajwa for the February 20 polls.

The Supreme Court on Monday directed Punjab Police to not arrest SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia till February 23 in a drugs case so he can undertake electioneering in the state. A bench comprising Chief Justices NV Ramana and Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli, however, directed Majithia to surrender before a trial court after the Punjab assembly polls scheduled on February 20.

It also directed the trial court to hear and expeditiously decide Majithia's regular bail plea after his surrender in the case.

The pre-arrest bail plea of Majithia, who was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on December 20 last year, was dismissed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 24.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now addressing his first virtual rally 'Jan Chaupal' in Uttar Pradesh, ahead of Assembly elections in the state. As per an official statement from BJP, the rally is being broadcast across 98 mandals in 21 assembly seats in five districts of western Uttar Pradesh going to the polls in the first phase.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Singh Badal files nomination from Lambi constituency

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra offers prayers at Kalibari temple in Noida

Akhilesh Yadav files nomination from Mainpuri's Karhal 

Punjab CM and Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi files nomination from Bhadaur Assembly constituency in Barnala district

Samajwadi Party (SP) founder-patron and MP Mulayam Singh Yadav blesses Union Minister Smriti Irani, as she greets him at the Parliament

Raja Rajiv Kumar Singh, former Samajwadi Party (SP) minister and six-time MLA from Barabanki, passed away on Monday.

He had been admitted to the ICU ward of Medanta Hospital in Lucknow after his health deteriorated two days ago when his son was denied the ticket by the Samajwadi Party.

Legal action has been initiated against BJP MP and actor Ravi Kishan for violation of the model code of conduct and flouting COVID-19 norms during a campaign for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, police officials said.

The Bhojpuri superstar and Gorakhpur MP was in Noida on Sunday to campaign for BJP's sitting MLA Pankaj Singh, who is again contesting the election as the party's candidate.

While the Election Commission (EC) had banned physical rallies and allowed only door-to-door campaigns in view of the pandemic, a large number of people had turned up at Kishan's programme at Chotpur village against the permitted limit of 10 people.

A panchayat of the Kashyap community said its members will not vote for any candidate in the upcoming Assembly polls as the government has not fulfilled their demand to shift 17 OBCs into the Scheduled Castes list. Members of the community said they arrived at the decision during a meeting headed by Kashyap leader Mohar Singh Kashyap at Jhinjhana town here on Saturday evening.

The members said while they will discharge their responsibility of voting, they were compelled to opt for 'None Of The Above' (NOTA) option in the EVM during the election on February 10 in Kairana Assembly constituency.

BJP-Punjab Lok Congress alliance will make history in all 117 seats, including Patiala, where it is contesting because the security of the state & the country has been important for the people of Punjab. The alliance will definitely form the Govt: Union Minister Gajendra S Shekhawat

Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav will file nomination from Mainpuri's Karhal seat shortly. Akhilesh is running for MLA for the first time. 

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal files nomination from Jalalabad

Punjab Lok Congress founder and chief Captain Amarinder Singh seeks blessings from the sword of Guru Gobind Singh before heading for filing the nomination from Patiala.

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Women rights activist Nida Khan and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati's former officer on special duty (OSD) Gangaram Ambedkar have joined the BJP ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.

Nida Khan, the daughter-in-law of Barelvi sect cleric Tauqueer Raza Khan's brother, joined the BJP at its state headquarters here on Sunday in the presence of joining committee head Lakshmikant Bajpai.

Samajwadi Party Chief and former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will be filing his nomination from Karhal assembly seat in Mainpuri on Monday. This will be his first ever assembly election; the leader has been a Member of Parliament and MLC earlier.

The Karhal assembly seat, which has been with the Samajwadi Party, will be going for polling on February 20. Interestingly, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is yet to announce a candidate from this seat.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday chided top Congress leaders for using Goa only as a holiday retreat, while adding that only the BJP could usher in development as well as provide stability in the poll-bound state.

"If you bring a BJP government here, will Modi's hands be strengthened or not? Do we have to do it or not? Rahul Baba cannot run the country," Shah said.

"For us Goa is golden Goa, for the Congress, it is Gandhi parivar ka Goa. They want a retreat to come for a holiday every once in a while. Their leaders take a lot of holidays," Shah said.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will campaign door to door in Noida on Monday to seek votes for party candidate Pankhuri Pathak. This will be her first physical campaign since the Election Commission banned rallies.

The Congress has given tickets to 40 per cent women and has sought votes for the empowerment of the fairer gender in the state. The party on Sunday released its fourth list of 61 candidates, including 24 women for the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh to be held in seven phases.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary Kailash Vijayavargiya on Sunday said that Congress has only sought votes in the name of Mahatma Gandhi so far, while on the contrary, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has made Gandhi's dreams come true through various government initiatives like Swachh Bharat Mission.

Earlier on Sunday, Vijayvargiya unveiled a rangoli of four and a half thousand square feet in Indore on the occasion of 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav'. The rangoli was made by Varsha Sirsia and has made a place in the world book of records. The rangoli showcased PM Narendra Modi bowing to Mahatma Gandhi and other freedom fighters.

"Congress has only sought votes in the name of Mahatma Gandhi and now its situation is for everyone to see. On the contrary, PM Modi has made Gandhi ji's dreams come true through various government initiatives like Swachh Bharat Mission," Vijayavargiya said.

Security has been tightened at Bharatiya Janata Party's office here which was ransacked allegedly by party supporters after some of them were denied BJP tickets to contest Manipur Assembly elections.

The candidate list has left many disappointed, and their anger manifested in form of resignations and burning effigies of BJP leaders.

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Uttarakhand has said that 150 FIRs have been registered under various sections for violating the Model Code of Conduct for Assembly elections since January 8. A toll-free number is in place for people to submit complaints related to elections.

"For election-related complaints contact on toll-free number 180033001950. The complaints center numbers of the control room are - 0135-2644303; 0135-2664304. According to Uttarakhand CEO, 150 FIRs have been registered under various sections for violation of model code of conduct since January 8," Uttarakhand PIB tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hit battleground Uttar Pradesh by holding a virtual rally on January 31, ahead of Assembly elections in the state. This virtual rally by the prime minister will cover five districts of Uttar Pradesh namely Shamli, Muzzafarnagar, Baghpat, Saharanpur, Gautambuddh Nagar (Dadri/Jewar) And it will cover 21 Vidhan Sabhas.

Keeping the directions of the Election Commission in mind the total physical mobilization arrangements have been made to listen to the Prime Minister's address at 100 locations cutting across 98 mandals and covering 21 Vidhan Sabhas.

The total physical presence will be 50,000 covering 500 people per location. There will be LED screens and campaign vans that will be dispatched to these locations for people to listen to the Prime Minister's address.

Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party's Uttarakhand election in-charge Pralhad Joshi said that Congress is 'All India Confused Party' as it failed to develop the state inspite of being in power for a long time.

"Congress was in power in state and centre for a long time. They could have done a lot for Uttarakhand then. They were talking about a weekly holiday on Jumma(Friday) and are now thinking about Char Dham. Congress has become All India Confused Party," said Joshi.

"Congress is not a party but a confused party. They do not have clarity on any subject whether it is Article 370, Indian soldiers or Uttarakhand, they are always in confusion. All India Confused Party has become directionless," he added.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) will hold a virtual review meeting to assess the situation on Monday when the ban on physical political rallies and roadshows for the upcoming Assembly Elections comes to an end. On January 22, the ECI had extended the ban on physical rallies and roadshows till January 31 amid rising COVID cases.

The meeting is scheduled for 11 am today. 

Congress MLA and husband of former Congress leader Aditi Singh, Angad Singh has called a meeting of his supporters on Monday to decide his future political course of action after Congress denied him a ticket for the upcoming Punjab assembly polls.

Angad Singh on Sunday was not named in the new list of candidates of Congress.

"Angad Singh has called in a meeting of his supporters on Monday morning to decide his next political step," said a source.

Congress was in power in state and center for a long time. They could have done a lot for Uttarakhand then. They were talking about a weekly holiday on Jumma (Friday) and are now thinking about Char Dham. Congress has become All India Confused Party: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi visited the theme park ‘Dastaan-e-Shahadat’ at Sri Chamkaur Sahib

There are three options for me currently, JDS, TMC, and Samajwadi Party. People from TMC and Samajwadi Party are contacting me. Many people will leave Congress before the election in Karnataka: Congress leader CM Ibrahim after his decision to quit the party

We will start a new movement called Alinga (Alpa Sankhyata-Lingayat). They will join together and give a call to take all the other backward classes and Dalit community to join them. It will start from Kudalasangama from the month of February: CM Ibrahim