Assembly Election 2022: Yogi minister Swami Prasad Maurya resigns, Akhilesh welcomes him to party

Hours after Uttar Pradesh Labour and Employment Minister Swami Prasad Maurya quit his post, his daughter and the BJP's Badaun MP Sanghamitra Maurya on Tuesday claimed her father has not joined any party and will reveal his strategy in a couple of days. The Samajwadi Party tweeted a photo of Swami Prasad Maurya and Varma with party chief Akhilesh Yadav, and wrote in Hindi, "Welcome to the Samajwadi Party. There will be a social justice revolution. There will be a change in 2022." | READ MORE

Within the next 7 days, we will publish our first list for the 2022 Uttarkhand Assembly polls but for the second list, we will see how sick BJP is and then accordingly we will announce our candidates, Uttarakhand Congress leader Harish Rawat said.

Supreme Court to hear tomorrow a petition seeking an independent inquiry into the Haridwar 'Dharm Sansad' hate speech case. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana will hear the matter.

I have come to know that Swami Prasad Maurya has given a list of MLAs who are leaving BJP & joining Samajwadi Party & my name is also in that list. I am and will be in the BJP. I am not leaving the party: UP Minister Dharam Singh Saini

We are ready to resign in solidarity with Swami Prasad Maurya. We will work for social upliftment and will bring 6,743 castes together and make 'Bhikhari Samaj' into 'Raja Samaj': UP BJP MLA Bhagwati Prasad Sagar

Within the next 7 days, we will publish our first list for the 2022 Uttarkhand Assembly polls but for the second list, we will see how sick BJP is and then accordingly we will announce our candidates: Uttarakhand Congress leader Harish Rawat

Social Media Monitoring Center of UP Police will work 24 hours in 3 shifts during upcoming elections

BJP MLA Brijesh Kumar Prajapati resigns from primary membership of the party. "Swami Prasad Maurya is the voice of the backward classes. He is our leader and I am with him," Prajapati states in his letter. 

The people of Uttar Pradesh are looking for change. We will surely see the change in the State. Communal polarisation is being done in Uttar Pradesh, ahead of Assembly elections. The people of UP will give a befitting reply to this. 13 MLAs are going to join Samajwadi Party (SP): NCP Chief Sharad Pawar | ALSO READ

People of Punjab will decide who will be the CM. Who told you that the (Congress) high command will make the CM?: Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu

People of Punjab will decide who will be the CM. Who told you that the (Congress) high command will make the CM?, says Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu

WATCH VIDEO: 

Congress constitutes Manifesto Committee and Campaign Committee of Punjab Congress, ahead of February 14 Assembly election. Pratap Singh Bajwa is the chairman of the manifesto committee.

BJP MLA from Bilhaur, Kanpur, Bhagwati Sagar and Brijesh Prajapati, BJP MLA from Banda's Tindwari seat resign from party. Both leaders are likely to join Samajwadi Party. 

Three-tier panchayat elections in Odisha to be held in 5 phases -- on Feb 16, Feb 18, Feb 20, Feb 22 and Feb 24, State Election Commission announces

Congress in-charge for Uttarakhand Devender Yadav has tested positive for COVID-19.

Swami Prasad Maurya, who had resigned from the Yogi Adityanath cabinet today, joins Samajwadi Party

UP Minister Swami Prasad Maurya has resigned from Yogi cabinet

First time in Manipur, the option of a postal ballot facility would be provided during the elections for absentee voters which includes 80+ Sr citizens, PwDs electors & COVID19 suspects, or affected persons, the ECI said in an official release.

During the review meeting with representatives of political parties and govt officials of Manipur ahead of Assembly elections in the state, ECI said the maximum number of electors’ norm at a polling station has been reduced from 1500 to 1250

"There are many members of 'tukde tukde gang' in Samajwadi Party (SP) & Congress. 'Tukde tukde gang' of Congress are joining SP today. They'll sow the seed of communalism and try to weaken nationalist forces in UP," says State Minister Sidharth Nath Singh on Congress' Imran Masood joining SP

"Former Chief Minister Mayawati and I will not contest the assembly elections. If Samajwadi Party does not have 400 candidates, how will they win 400 seats? Neither SP nor BJP will come to power, BSP is going to form the govt in Uttar Pradesh," says Satish Chandra Misra, BSP MP

"Ferozepur was going to witness highest ever turnout at any political rally in Punjab. But political workers, in collusion with the police, stopped not only the public but also PM from attending the rally. It has only strengthened the resolve of BJP workers," says Union Minister GS Shekhawat

Punjab polls: Seat allocation for BJP alliance will be done in two days, sources have said. The BJP has claimed nearly 80 seats for the assembly elections in state

Delhi: Several leaders from Punjab including former MLA Arvind Khanna, SAD leader Gurdeep Singh Gosha, and former Amritsar councillor Dharamveer Sarin join BJP in presence of Union Ministers Hardeep Puri and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy CM KP Maurya and others arrive at party headquarters in Delhi for BJP core committee meet ahead of state assembly polls

"SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's statement on Lord Krishna, claiming religion as superstition has hurt the sentiments of people. I want him to apologise... By inducting Imran Masood into SP, their intention is clear that they will bring goons, criminals to win polls," says UP Deputy CM KP Maurya

UP Assembly polls: State Minister Brajesh Pathak carries out a door-to-door campaign in Cabinet Ganj area of Lucknow

Ahead of Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, former MLA and Congress leader Imran Masood is likely to join the Samajwadi Party (SP).

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Masood said, "The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule of assembly polls. If we observe the current political circumstances of Uttar Pradesh, there is a direct fight between BJP and SP. So, I had a discussion with my supporters and we have decided to support Akhilesh ji."

"I want a government who works in favour of youths, farmers, and women in the state," the former MLA said.

Hours after senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia was granted anticipatory bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Monday said his faith in the complete impartiality of the judiciary had been vindicated.

Reacting to the development, the AAP, however, alleged that the grant of pre-arrest bail to Majithia was due to a “weak” case filed against the former minister due to a “collusion” between Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and the Badal family.

Majithia is Badal’s brother-in-law.

Facing arrest in an NDPS case, involving the sale, purchase and manufacturing of drugs among other offences, Majithia was on Monday granted anticipatory bail by the high court.

Goa Minister and Independent MLA Govind Gaude on Monday said he has not taken any decision on joining BJP and will make a decision after consulting his party workers.

"I haven't taken any decision on joining BJP. I will make a decision after consulting with my supporters," Gaude said.

"I will meet my Karyakartas, consult them and then consider arriving at a decision on joining any party," he added.

Punjab Police have solved the hand grenade attacks including an attack at Pathankot Army Camp by busting a major terror module backed by the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) group with the arrest of its six operatives. The SBS Nagar police have also recovered six hand-grenades (86 P), one pistol (9mm), one rifle (.30 bore) along with live bullets and magazines from their possession, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab VK Bhawra said.

Those arrested have been identified as Amandeep alias Mantri, Gurwinder Singh alias Gindi, Parminder Kumar alias Rohit alias Rohta, Rajinder Singh alias Malhi alias Nikku, Harpreet Singh alias Dholki and Raman Kumar.

With COVID-19 restrictions in place ahead of Uttarakhand Assembly elections, the BJP has now decided to make use of technology and has decided to deploy one IT expert in every constituency of the state to expedite the party's meetings, virtual rallies, campaigns and other programmes.

The decision of the party comes after the Election Commission of India barred political parties from organizing roadshows and rallies till January 15.

The IT experts will facilitate uninterrupted meetings and other programmes that the party will be holding online.

Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal has said that no talks regarding an alliance with Trinamool Congress were held during his meeting with Rahul Gandhi.

Taking to Twitter, the senior Congress leader said that the rumour in circulation that a possible alliance with the TMC was discussed by Rahul Gandhi in the meeting is completely "baseless and untrue".

Full Coverage