Punjab elections: Amarinder attacks Cong over declaring Channi as CM candidate

The Punjab government on Thursday said it has declared a paid holiday in the state on February 20 on account of polling. “The date of polling shall be a paid holiday in respect of all persons employed in any business, trade, industrial undertaking or any other establishment situated in the state of Punjab and entitled to vote in the election to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha-2022 on this day,” an official statement read. Voting in the state’s 117 Assembly seats will be held in a single phase and the counting will take place on March 10.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday took a jibe at the previous Congress government, associating it with 'bure din' or bad days for people as against 'acche din' or good days witnessed under the current BJP dispensation and claimed only his party can provide a stable and development-driven administration in the state. Congress leader Digambar Kamat was the chief minister from 2007 to 2012 after which the BJP came to power in the coastal state, which will vote on February 14 to elect a new assembly.

From this land of Goa, phrases like 'Congress-Mukt Bharat' unexpectedly came out of my mouth. Today these phrases have become the resolution of many citizens of the country. For us, GOA mean Governance, Opportunities, & Aspirations: PM Modi in Mapusa, Goa

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Surendra Singh on Thursday joined the Vikassheel Insaan Party of Mukesh Sahani, a minister in the Bihar government. Singh resigned from the primary membership of the BJP after he was denied a ticket. Singh, the MLA of Bairia area in the district, who has hogged headlines for his controversial statements, told reporters that Raja Ram Bind, the national vice president of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), came to his residence and declared him the candidate of his party. Singh said he will contest the Bairiya seat from the VIP. 

Various enforcement teams have seized valuables worth Rs 404.01 crores, including liquor worth Rs 25.79 crores, psychotropic substances worth Rs 315 crores & unaccounted cash of Rs 26.59 crores, in violation of MCC till Feb 9: State Chief Electoral Officer

Total 2 transgenders, 93 women & 1209 men candidates in fray for 117 assembly constituencies. There are 24,740 polling stations in 14,684 polling locations. Around 2586 different surveillance teams to be working round the clock: State Chief Electoral Officer

Punjab polls: Punjab Lok Congress chief Amarinder Singh on Thursday attacked the Congress over the nomination of Charanjit Singh Channi as the chief ministerial candidate even after the arrest of his nephew following ED raids. The former chief minister also hit out at the Congress, “for fielding all MLAs allegedly involved in illegal sand mining as candidates in the assembly polls and termed it as a clear endorsement of widespread corruption in the party.” Singh said he will not retire till he has rid the state of such corrupt people, according to a party statement.

Election Commission has revised the assembly poll dates for Manipur voting. The first phase of elections will now take place on Feb 28 instead of Feb 27. Second phase of voting to happen on March 5 instead of March 3. 

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab's chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann on Thursday launched a digital door-to-door campaign from this city. He said people can give a missed call on 98827 98827 or click on the website https://IkMaukaKejriwalNu.com to ask questions on 11 important issues of Punjab directly from party's nation convenor Arvind Kejriwal and others. After giving a missed call, a message from AAP will be sent on people's mobiles. With a click, Kejriwal and Mann will digitally knock on their door to know their questions. People can ask questions on 11 topics, comprising electricity, women safety, law and order, agriculture, health, drug trafficking and unemployment. Both Mann and Kejriwal will answer their questions.

The Congress party on Thursday appointed Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda & party leader Rajeev Shukla as Special Observers for Punjab Elections 2022. 

Asserting that Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wanted her to contest the Uttar Pradesh polls, the Unnao rape survivor on Thursday said since she is not old enough to fight elections, the party has fielded her mother from the Unnao Sadar Assembly segment for a cause. Asha Singh, the mother of the rape survivor, who has won her legal battle against former MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, said she is contesting the polls to ensure justice for the victims of such a heinous crime. "Priyanka Gandhi wanted me to fight the election but it could not happen because I am not 25 years of age. So she gave the ticket to my mother," said the rape survivor who is campaigning for her mother. She hoped that people would understand their pain and send her mother to the Assembly.

Hitting out at Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary for not casting his vote on Thursday, the BJP asked if he has already abandoned the idea of winning. 

Transgender leaders like BJP's Sonam Kinnar and Samajwadi Party's Payal Kinnar may not be contesting the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, but have created a buzz through their electioneering. Rooting for their parties, these leaders are generating interest, not only in their community, but also among the common people as they carry out door-to-door campaigns all over the state. 

Attacking the Samajwadi Party (SP), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said it supported rioters and the mafia, and fielded criminals in western Uttar Pradesh for the assembly elections. Addressing his first physical rally after the announcement of the poll schedule in Saharanpur, Modi told people that a BJP government was necessary in the state to keep it riot-free. He also referred to the legislation enacted against triple-talaq, saying Adityanath’s government was needed in the state so that no one could oppress Muslim women.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday hit out at Yogi Adityanath and said the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government should increase employment opportunities instead of the chief minister talking about “cooling down” others. Addressing an election campaign in Rampur, the Congress general secretary and party's UP affairs in-charge also accused the BJP-led Centre of destroying trade and businesses with ill-conceived policies. She called on the voters to listen to politicians and understand whether they are talking about the development and welfare of the people or themselves.

As the Shiv Sena makes yet another attempt to make inroads in Goa, its pitch for the 'sons of the soil' issue features prominently in its agenda for the assembly polls with the demand of 80 per cent of jobs in the private sector for Goans. The party has fielded 10 candidates for the 40-member Goa legislative assembly, voting for which will take place on February 14. The Sena is contesting the polls in the coastal state in alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which has fielded 13 candidates. But there is no presence of the alliance partner on ground with the Sena cadre, on campaign posters or even on scarfs. Both the parties share power in Maharashtra along with the Congress as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing 'Vijay Sankalp Sabha' in Uttarakhand's Srinagar city lashed out at Congress for using late Chief of Defence Stadd (CDS) General Bipin Rawat's name to gather votes. PM Modi also stated that a Congress leader even called late CDS Gen Bipin Rawat 'Sadak ka Gunda'.

Aam Aadmi Party's Chief Ministerial face for upcoming Punjab Assembly elections, Bhagwant Mann, on Thursday said that people are fed up with the ruling Congress. "Only 10 days are left for Punjab polls. People want to choose a new government because they have been disappointed by those whom they had trusted for five years. They are fed up with both the Congress and its predecessor the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)," Mann said while addressing a press conference in Amritsar today. The AAP leader also claimed that there were no Punjab MPs present in the Lok Sabha when he raised the issue of the sugarcane farmers on Wednesday. "I kept my election campaigns aside and went there to raise voice for farmers, but no other MP was there," added Mann.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said he is not afraid of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or "his enforcement agencies" and finds his "arrogance" amusing.  Addressing a rally at Manglaur in Haridwar district, Gandhi said, "Modi said in an interview recently that I don't listen to him. He was right. I don't listen to him because I am not afraid of him or his CBI and ED." He said the three farm laws were withdrawn only because of the country's farmers and the Congress.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and is Kerala Chief Minister counterpart Pinarayi Vaijayan were trading barbs over social media over the situation in their states. In a video released ahead of polling in Uttar Pradesh, where voting for the first phase was underway on Thursday, Adityanath told the electorate that their vote will decide the future of the state, which could soon become a "Kashmir, Bengal or Kerala" if mistakes were made. "Many good things have taken place in five years. (Vote correctly or) the work from all these five years will be ruined. Uttar Pradesh could become Kashmir, Kerala and Bengal. This is a time for big decisions," he said. Vijayan retorted on Twitter on Thursday. "If UP turns into Kerala as @myogiadityanath fears, it will enjoy the best education, health services, social welfare, living standards and have a harmonious society in which people won't be murdered in the name of religion and caste. That's what the people of UP would want," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that a BJP government was necessary in Uttar Pradesh to keep the state riot-free, keep women free from fear and send criminals to jail. Addressing his first physical rally in Saharanpur, he said the BJP government in the state was required so that the poor continue to get free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh in good hospitals.  The BJP government is also needed so that money given under the PM Kisan Yojana keeps going into bank accounts of small farmers, he said. He also took a jibe at rivals and asked should Yogi ji send criminals and mafias to "mahal" (palace) instead of sending them to jails.

The Lucknow bench of Allahabad HC on Thursday granted bail to Ashish Mishra, the prime accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. READ FULL STORY

Surendra Singh, the sitting BJP MLA from Bairia in Ballia has been booked allegedly for violating the model code of conduct, Covid protocols and hindering traffic. Singh resigned from the BJP's primary membership after being denied a ticket for the upcoming assembly election. After tendering his resignation, he reached Bairia with his supporters and held a meeting in his constituency on Wednesday. The NH-31 from Devraj Brahm turning to Bairia crossing witnessed a traffic jam as his supporters gathered there.

Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari may contest Assembly polls from Mau Assembly seat on Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) ticket, sources told India TV. The SBSP is led by Om Prakash Rajbhar. His party is a constituent of Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party-led alliance. 

Will continue to rage buldozers on the mafias: Yogi Adityanath in Saharanpur

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal will be on a two-day visit to Goa from February 10-11 ahead of Goa Assembly elections 2022: AAP

AAP national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's wife & daughter to visit Punjab for campaigning in the state assembly elections. They will attend AAP CM face Bhagwant Mann's 'Jansabha' in the Dhuri area of Sangrur district on Feb 11: Aam Aadmi Party

A day before polling, the Aam Aadmi Party candidate from Charthawal assembly constituency, Yavar Roshan, on Wednesday resigned from the party and joined the Samajwadi Party. During the first phase of polling, the voting will start at 7 am on Thursday in 58 constituencies spread across 11 districts in the western part of Uttar Pradesh. Announcing his support for the SP candidate Pankaj Malik in Charthawal town in the Muzaffarnagar district, Roshan said he has resigned from the AAP.

Out of 584 candidates contesting in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly polls in phase two, about 147 candidates (25 per cent) have criminal cases registered against themselves, the Association for Democratic Reforms said on Wednesday. The Uttar Pradesh Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analysed the self sworn affidavits of 584 out of 586 candidates contesting the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. The affidavits of two candidates were not analysed as they were either badly scanned or complete affidavits were not uploaded on the Election Commission’s website.

President of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RLD), Lalu Prasad Yadav on Wednesday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s frustration shows that they will lose Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and further said that RLD will support Samajwadi Party in the elections. "BJP's frustration shows that they will lose UP polls. They've only been talking about riots and temples. 70 years ago, our ancestors made the British leave this country but now the British have returned in the form of BJP... We support SP in UP polls," said RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav to ANI.

Various enforcement teams have seized valuables worth Rs 399.64 crore in violation of the Model Code of Conduct in Punjab till February 8, State Election Commission informed on Wednesday. Giving details in this regard, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Punjab Dr S Karuna Raju today said that the surveillance teams have seized 41.66 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs 23.70 crore. "Similarly, the enforcement wings have also recovered psychotropic substances amounting to Rs 314.75crore besides confiscating unaccounted cash of Rs 25.63 crore," he added.

Ahead of Goa assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a grand rally in Mapusa on Thursday (today), said a press release issued by Goa Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). A day before the campaign ends for poll-bound Goa, Prime Minister will address a mega public meeting at 5.00 pm at Bodgeshwar Maidan, added the release.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will visit Uttarakhand today to take part in the party's poll campaign for state assembly elections that are scheduled to take place on February 14.
 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took a dig at Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhury who are contesting the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in an alliance and said the state had earlier seen the "game of two boys" and 'buaji' too was with them but the people of the state rejected the alliance. "Ye do ladkon wala khel to humne pehle bhi dekha tha (This game of boys we have seen earlier too. They had so much arrogance that they used the words "Gujarat's two donkeys'. And the people of Uttar Pradesh showed them the 'hisab'. And then there were these two boys and there was buaji also with them and still they could not make it," he said in an exclusive interview with ANI. "Bua" was an apparent reference to Bahujan Samajwadi Party chief Mayawati by the Prime Minister.