Assembly Election 2022: Congress picks Channi as CM face for Punjab; AAP, SAD slam grand old party

On our way out after campaigning for our respective parties, ⁦former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and I chatted at the airport about local & national politics. This Goa election has attracted a larger number of political leaders than ever. The stakes are high for all, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted. 

Your vote will enable Uttarakhand to move forward on the path of development. Arrangements of electricity, roads, medical colleges, with the facility of AIIMS, have been made in the state. We'll make our state no 1 state in the country, said Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami.

BJP has fielded Dayashankar Singh from Ballia, in Uttar Pradesh. UP assembly election will 2022 be held in 7 phases from February 10.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday targeted Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, accusing him of fielding criminals in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

Addressing public meetings in Baghpat and Amroha, Shah said the upcoming state election is being fought to put an end to the patronage to criminals.

He also praised Yogi Adityanath-led state government for action against criminals.

"Today, criminals and mafia are seen either in jail, outside the boundary of UP or in the list of candidates of Akhilesh Yadav. Today, Azam Khan, Atiq Ahmed and Mukhtar Ansari are in jail and it is so because there is a BJP government in the state," he said.

Sharpening his attack on the SP chief, he said Yadav these days only remembers how much money was recovered from the person linked with the “Samajwadi Itra”, apparently referring to raids by central agencies on the premises of a perfume seller.

Congress party today is a divided house, it requires no opposition. This is deeply sad that out of 3 crore Punjabis, Congress chose a person (Punjab CM Channi) accused of corruption charges as their CM candidate, AAP leader Raghav Chadha said.

It's the victory of the sand 'mafia'. Their CM face is a sand 'mafia'. We are winning the polls with a landslide victory, said Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal after Congress' announces Charanjit Singh Channi as CM face in ensuing Punjab Assembly Election.

Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi who worshipped the Ganga at Har ki Pairi in Haridwar recently, BJP president JP Nadda on Sunday said the BJP had taught him the 'good thing' of going to temples and offering prayers.

Addressing a rally in Uttarkashi in support of party candidates, Nadda said the Congress leaders these days are going to temples and doing the 'aarti' of the Ganga and Yamuna.

Warning voters, he said it is the same hypocritical people who put obstacles in the path of the construction of Lord Ram temple.

"However, the good part of it is that they have finally learnt to go to temples from us. I am happy that you were finally reminded of the Indian culture and learnt to go to temples from the BJP," he said.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday attacked the BJP government, saying the "eyes and ears of the government will open in the first phase itself", as farmers and youngsters have "made up their mind" to defeat the BJP.

It was Akhilesh Yadav’s first meeting in Karhal after he filed his nomination papers from the assembly seat in the Mainpuri district. Karhal goes to the polls in the third phase on February 20.

"The way the wind is blowing and seeing the atmosphere (of elections), it seems the eyes and ears of the (BJP) government will open in the first phase itself,” said the former UP chief minister.

I've asked an SP leader that our development works are seen but have you done any development work?... He said we've built boundaries of 'Kabristan'. Today it is the need to tell them to take votes from 'Kabristan' only, said UP CM Yogi Adityanath in Aligarh.

I sincerely thank the Congress High Command and the people of Punjab for bestowing their trust in me. As you have seen us work so hard in the last 111 days to take Punjab forward, I assure you to take Punjab and Punjabis on the path of progress with new zeal and dedication, said Charanjit Singh Channi after being picked as Congress' CM face for upcoming Punjab assembly election. READ MORE

Incumbent Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi will be Congress' Chief Ministerial candidate in the forthcoming assembly election in the state, announced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday.

"Punjab CM will come from a poor family, Chaani will be CM face for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections," Rahul Gandhi said. READ MORE

Rahul Gandhi during a virtual rally in Punjab's Ludhiana said that there are a lot of voices in the state, varied thinking about people. 

Addressing a virtual rally in Ludhiana where Rahul Gandhi will announce the party's CM face for upcoming polls, the Congress leader said that it's difficult to pick one diamond among a group of so many.

I met Navjot Singh Sidhu 40 years ago but he doesn't know that he met Rahul Gandhi. I was in the Doon School where he came to play a cricket match, said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Ludhiana during a virtual rally.

I have accepted Rahul Gandhi's decision...if I am given decision-making power, I will finish the mafia, improve people's lives. If not given power, I will walk with a smile with whomever you make CM, Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu said in Ludhiana

Rahul Gandhi addresses the people of Punjab through Aawaz Punjab Di digital rally at Ludhiana.

The 'Nari shakti' of Uttar Pradesh has determined to make Yogi Adityanath the chief minister once again: PM Modi during 'Jan Chaupal'

Charanjit Singh Channi, who is believed to far ahead of his close 'rival' Navjot Singh Sidhu, on Sunday set aside the prospective formula of making both CMs on a rotational basis, if the party retains the helm.

"This is not a 'lala ki dukan' (a petty-minded man shop)," he told the media. Without mincing words, Channi said he would respect the decision on the CM's face by the party high command.

Two brothers are slugging out against each other in Punjab's Majitha assembly constituency, with both exuding confidence of their victory.
Sukhjinder Raj Singh aka Lalli Majithia is contesting on an AAP ticket, while his younger brother Jagwinderpal Singh aka Jagga Majithia is trying his luck on a Congress ticket.

Majitha assembly constituency in Amritsar district is considered as the Shiromani Akali Dal's (SAD) bastion as sitting MLA Bikram Singh Majithia has been representing this seat since 2007.

But this time, Majithia decided against contesting from his home turf and will now contest from Amritsar East constituency to take on Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu who is seeking re-election from there.

The SAD has fielded Majithia's wife Ganieve Kaur from Majitha seat.

Days after shots were fired at the car of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in western Uttar Pradesh, the Election Commission has directed chief secretaries of all states to provide adequate security cover to star campaigners of political parties within their states during the election period.

In a letter dated February 5 and also marked to state chief electoral officers, the EC said it has been brought to its notice that the "star campaigners in the ongoing general elections to the legislative assemblies of the five states have faced security issues".

The star campaigners constitute an integral part of the election process and their security is of utmost importance for ensuring free and fair elections, the poll panel asserted.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani on Saturday helped an accident victim while she was on her way to a campaign venue in the poll-bound state of Goa. The Union Minister helped the injured lady and sent her to the hospital with a cop in one of the cars of her convoy.

UP polls: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, CM Adityanath, Dy CM KP Maurya & UP BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh observe 2-minute silence to pay tribute to Lata Mangeshkar. The release of BJP manifesto for Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls postponed due to the demise of Lata Mangeshkar

He has been on protest for 26 years and now has decided to contest against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath from Gorakhpur.

Vijay Singh, 59, a former school teacher, said, "I have done everything within my means to free the government land from the clutches of the mafia. In 2012, I met the then Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav who set up a committee to probe my complaint but nothing happened afterwards. When Yogi became chief minister, I approached him and he assured me of an impartial inquiry, which had confirmed the authenticity of my claim in its report in 2019.I have visited Lucknow 30 times but no action has been taken to reclaim the land."

Singh was 'deeply disturbed' by the grabbing of public land in his Chhudana village by the land mafia in 1996 and he quit his job and sat on a dharna at Muzaffarnagar collectorate to protest against encroachment of public land. His battle against the land mafia earned him space in several books of record but failed to spur the successive regimes in Uttar Pradesh.

"Now, I will go to the public. Let them see what this system has done to me. Twenty-six years is not a short time. I have given my life for a just cause," he said.

Six constables, deployed in the Rampur jail, have been served notices after they were purportedly seen in a viral video cheering and shouting the slogan 'Jayant Chaudhary zindabad' while dancing to patriotic songs. Jail Superintendent Prashant Maurya said responses from the six policemen are being sought and action would be taken after verification of the facts. A report will be submitted to IG prisons, Lucknow, he added.

The constables, meanwhile, said that they were dancing to the tune of patriotic songs and cheering for their friend -- nicknamed Jayant Chaudhary -- who received a commendation letter on Republic Day, and not the RLD chief who shares the same name.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to address election meetings at Hamirpur, Rath and Mahoba Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh today

Congress Punjab in-charge Harish Chaudhary had confirmed that Rahul Gandhi will announce the party's Chief Ministerial face for the Punjab Assembly polls on February 6 during his virtual rally in Ludhiana.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Saturday filed his nomination papers from Heingang constituency in the Imphal East district for the upcoming assembly election.

The BJP on Saturday accused SP-RLD workers of attacking the convoy of wrestler and party leader Babita Phogat here while she was campaigning for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly polls and claimed four people were injured in the incident.

However, police denied the charge of Phogat’s convoy being attacked, saying two workers of the BJP and RLD had exchanged blows in which one of them got injured.

Police also said that the BJP leaders did not take permission from the authorities to hold an event in the area.

According to the BJP, Phogat, a star campaigner of the saffron party, along with Simple Singh, the wife of BJP candidate Maninderpal Singh from Siwalkhas, were campaigning in Dabathuva village here when their convoy was allegedly attacked.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will release Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) manifesto for poll-bound Uttar Pradesh on February 6.

As per highly placed sources in the party, for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the BJP will release its 'Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra' on Sunday, which may include issues of nationalism, development, good governance and development of Kashi Mathura.

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur on Saturday participated in kite-flying with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Mahila Morcha and Yuva Morcha workers in Lucknow on the occasion of Basant Panchami.

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav taking a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) on Saturday stated that the BJP's pain has increased after Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary allied with SP for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

Addressing a public meeting, the SP chief said that "Their (BJP) pain has increased after RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary allied with me for Uttar Pradesh polls. They are saying we will leave him (Jayant Chaudhary) later but I want to say that once Samajwadi people hold someone's hand, we don't leave them."

Taking a jibe at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Yadav said that "Baba is an amazing Chief Minister, he has no work apart from spreading lies."

He further said that this is an election to save the Constitution of the country.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday announced the alliance of 6 political parties and named it as Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (MPSA) and launched launch 18-point common agenda of the alliance.

The common agenda of the alliance also includes unemployment allowances to youth and full implementation of Article 371 (c) of Indian Constitution.

Ramesh mentioned the 6 political parties in the alliance, "Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance(MPSA) of Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Janata Dal (Secular) was launched today with 18-point Common Agenda."

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, who was campaigning in Aligarh on Saturday, gave the party's youth manifesto 'Bharti Vidhan' to BJP workers who came near her vehicle as workers of two parties were campaigning.

Priyanka Gandhi campaigned in several areas of Aligarh and was surrounded by party workers. At a local market, some BJP workers were also shouting slogans in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The Congress leader leaned down from her vehicle and exchanged a few words with the BJP workers. A man in the crowd wearing a BJP cap apparently refused to take the youth manifesto while the one next to him accepted it. Some distance away, a BJP worker was carrying the party flag.

In a notice to Uttarakhand BJP unit, Election Commission asked party to "explain its stand on putting morphed image of (Congress leader) Harish Rawat on its official Twitter handle as alleged by AICC."

EC asked BJP to file the explanation within 24 hrs of receipt of the notice.

The Election Commission of India has decided to hold the bye-election on March 7 in Majuli assembly seat in Assam. The seat was vacated by former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal

Attacking Samajwadi Party (SP) ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda on Saturday asked why the mafias lodged in jail are dear to Akhilesh Yadav.

Addressing the public meeting here, the BJP chief said, "There were only mafia and gundaraj five years ago. People have not forgotten the Muzaffarnagar riots or the forced migration of Kairana. Remember the Muzaffarnagar riots? Even the Supreme court condemned and said that the riots were a result of Akhilesh Yadav's government's failure."

"The Supreme Court also observed that the arrangements for compensation by the SP government were such that only a particular religious community could benefit. Court had said the riot was not just negligence but administrative failure. But today, there are no mafias. Now mafias are either in jail or outside the state. But why these people in jail are dear to SP? Even Akhilesh Yadav supports these people in jail from outside," he added.

Aam Aadmi Party Chief Ministerial face for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections, Bhagwant Mann on Saturday took a dig at Congress and said that even if the Congress announces as many as 10 CM faces instead of one, it will not be able to form government in the state.

Speaking to ANI, Mann said, "Even if they (Congress) announce 10 Chief Ministerial faces, instead of one, they will still not be able to form the government in Punjab. Then what is the use of announcing the face? Aam Aadmi Party is going to form the government."

"My party has made me its CM face and the people are showering flowers on us. If you want to see the festival of democracy, then come to Punjab and come to our rally," said Mann.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday will address a public rally in western Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat, say sources. 

"Shah's rally in Baghpat, a Jat dominated area, is aimed to woo members of Jat community many of whom participated in the farmers' agitation on the borders of Delhi after Centre passed three farm laws," says sources.

Amit Shah's rally in Baghpat is aimed to cover Chhaprauli, Baraut and Baghpat assembly seats which will go to the polls in the first phase of elections i.e., February 10.

He will also address a public meeting in the Amroha district.