UP Election: BJP has gone past half way mark after 5 phases of polling, says Amit Shah

To bolster women empowerment, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday promised to increase the amount given to beneficiaries of Mukhayamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana from Rs 51,000 to Rs 1 lakh, and that given to beneficiaries of Mukhayamantri Kanya Sumangla Yojana by Rs 10,000 if Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retains power in the state. Addressing an election rally in Deoria, Adityanath said, "Under Mukhayamantri Kanya Sumangla Yojana Rs 15,000 is being given to daughters that will be increased to Rs 25,000 and the amount for their marriages under Mukhayamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana will be increased from Rs 51,000 to Rs 1 lakh."

The Congress has expelled its candidate Salam Joy Singh, contesting from the Wangoi assembly constituency, reportedly for supporting rival BJP candidate Oinam Lukhoi Singh. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said Uttar Pradesh no longer wants to be driven by casteism, rather it wishes to move on highways of development. Addressing a poll rally here, he said many parties talk about farmers, but it is the BJP which launched the ‘PM Kisan Yojana’ to ensure the welfare of marginal farmers. Modi highlighted that the Ujjwala Yojana was launched from Ballia six years ago and also invoked socialist leader Chandrasekhar, who was a native of Ballia.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday accused the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party of working on caste lines when in power in Uttar Pradesh, and said his BJP has worked for all communities in the state since 2017. Addressing an election meeting for party candidates in Kushinagar, Shah said free scooters will be given to girls and free tablet and smartphones to poor youths who want to pursue higher education if the BJP returns to power in Uttar Pradesh. He hit out at both the SP and the BSP, accusing the previous governments of “bua and bhatija” (Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav) of keeping Uttar Pradesh divided on caste lines.

The police have lodged an FIR against seven people for allegedly raising "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans during a public meeting at the Handia assembly constituency here, officials said on Monday. The police said prima facie, it appeared to be a public meeting of the Samajwadi Party.
However, the party candidate is not visible in the video, they said. Taking cognizance of a video of a public meeting in which some people were seen shouting such slogans, the police identified them men and lodged an FIR, Handia's Circle Officer Dr Bhim Kumar Gautam.

UP no longer wants to driven by casteism, it wants to move on highways of development: PM Narendra Modi at rally in UP's Ballia.

Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh Harnath Singh Yadav on Monday slammed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for his comment on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during campaigning, saying that such language is against political dignity. Speaking with ANI, the BJP MP said that the SP chief's language is contrary to the dignity, respect and etiquette of the 23 crore people of Uttar Pradesh.

Recently, during campaigning, the SP chief had taken a jibe at the Chief Minister regarding the bull and his pet dog 'Gullu'. "At this time, the animals left by Baba ji are troubling the farmers a lot, but they do not understand whether Baba ji's favourite animal is bull or Gullu?" he had said.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah of Monday claimed that the party has already gone past the majority mark after the first five phases of polling in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Addressing a public meeting in Kushinagar, Shah said, "The BJP has reached the majority mark in the first five phases of Uttar Pradesh elections. In the sixth and seventh phases, people have to vote for the BJP to form the government with over 300 seats." "In 2014, the whole country and Uttar Pradesh made PM Modi ji Prime Minister. For the first time, a non-Congress party won more seats than the half way mark in the UP Assembly. Since then, this winning campaign of the BJP has gone on upwards. This time you have to cross the boundary line of attaining victory," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hit out at rivals over their criticism of the Covid vaccine, saying "dynasts" never miss a chance to dent the country's self-confidence. Addressing a rally at Maharajganj, Modi said the Centre has launched a "vibrant village" scheme to give speed up economic development in the country's bordering areas. Taking a swipe at rivals, the prime minister said they always cared for the interest of their family but the BJP government has worked for the poor by providing them health insurance and electricity. Polling in Maharajganj will take place in the sixth phase on March 3.

A case has been registered against Independent candidate and former Uttar Pradesh minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh, alias Raja Bhaiya, and 17 others on the charges of assaulting a polling agent of the Samajwadi Party, a police officer said on Monday. The case was registered at Kunda police station under various sections of the IPC and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Superintendent of Police Satpal Antil said, "On the voting day (on February 27), Rakesh Kumar Pasi, a polling agent of Samajwadi Party candidate Gulshan Yadav...
complained that Tinku Singh, a polling agent of the Jansatta Dal Loktantrik, phoned him and told him to leave the booth (in Raiyyapur), otherwise booth capturing could not be done."

Dynasts can never make India capable, they can never make UP capable. Can these dynasts do anything? During COVID period, they left no stone unturned to hurt the confidence of India. They tried to instigate the poor of the country against the indigenous vaccines: PM in Maharajganj

"You're seeing the situation of a fast-changing world in last 2 years. The world is going through several challenges right now. Nobody can remain untouched from this. Under this situation, it's very important for India to be powerful," PM in Maharajganj

BJP is the only party that can confidently say we did what we promised. Earlier children of poor used to study under a lantern but now they are studying under full bright light as we've given 24 hours electricity: BJP chief JP Nadda at a rally in Machhali Shahar, Jaunpur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday will address election rallies in Maharajganj and Ballia districts in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP has completed all the necessary preparations for the successful organization of the rallies.

Giving information about the rallies, State General Secretary and rally in-charge Anoop Gupta had said, "PM Modi would first address the joint rally for Pharenda, Paniyara, Nautanwa, Siswan assembly constituencies of Maharajganj district and Ramkola assembly constituency of Kushinagar district. The rally will be held at Ambedkar Degree College in Maharajganj."

He further said that PM Modi will hold another rally to address people of Belthara Road, Rasra, Sikandarpur, Phephna, Ballia, Bansdih and Bairiya in Ballia's Haibatpur.

Addressing a public rally in UP's Nautanwa city, the Home Minister said, " In the last five years, there was a decline of 70 per cent in dacoity, 29 per cent in murders, 69 per cent in looting, 35 per cent in kidnapping and 52 per cent in rapes in Uttar Pradesh under Yogi government."

Shah, while addressing a public rally in UP's Ballia earlier on Sunday, said that Uttar Pradesh was number one in crime during Akhilesh Yadav's regime.
"Under SP- loots, murders, rapes were at no. 1. Akhilesh, shame on you! How can you come to people to seek votes? You have done nothing for the people. Under Yogi Ji's leadership, there have been 70 per cent fall in loot, 29 per cent fall in murders," he stated.

He further said that the SP, the BSP and the Congress have done nothing except spreading the poison of casteism and giving strength to the mafia while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done the work of securing the country.

The Election Commission has imposed a 24-hour ban on campaigning by controversial BJP MLA Raghavendra Singh, who is contesting the Dumariaganj Assembly seat. Singh had given a controversial speech in which he had said that Hindus who do not vote for him had Muslim blood in their veins. The speech had gone viral on the social media. The Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh had demanded a ban on the BJP MLA for violating the model code of conduct and spreading hatred in society.

"We're also planning that in the next five years, at least one person of every family in Uttar Pradesh will be provided with government jobs, employment or self-employment opportunities," Adityanath said while addressing a public rally in Chauri Chaura, Gorakhpur.

Polling for the remaining two phases will take place on March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.