Assembly Election 2022 Updates: PM Modi addresses rally in Bahraich, claims to hit 'Jeet Ka Chowka' in UP

The Congress and the Goa Forward Party on Tuesday demanded that the Election Commission halt the police recruitment drive planned by the Pramod Sawant government in the coastal state, which had seen Assembly polls on February 14. Results are set to be declared on March 10 along with that of polls in four others states, including Uttar Pradesh.

The BJP will get a majority in Manipur by winning over 40 seats in the 60-member assembly, the party's state president A Sharda Devi said. In an interview with PTI, Devi said the next chief minister of the state will be decided by the party's top leadership after the election results are declared.

"This time, we have full confidence of winning 40-plus seats. At the moment, there are 29 sitting MLAs of the BJP and to reach 41, we need only 12 more. On the basis of the developmental works done by the government and the feedback from the people on the ground, we are confident that we will win over 40 seats," she said.

Goa's Chief Electoral Officer has sought reports from the returning officers of both districts and director general of police (DGP) in connection with the alleged violations reported during ballot paper voting for the legislative Assembly elections held on February 14, an official said on Tuesday.

Talking to PTI, Chief Electoral Officer Kunal said North and South Goa district returning officers and the DGP were on Monday asked to submit a report within three days about the alleged violations reported during ballot paper voting for service voters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the BJP's "double-engine" government has laid a strong foundation for Manipur for the next 25 years. Addressing an election rally in Imphal East district, Modi said the stability and peace achieved in the last five years have to be made permanent, urging the people of the Northeastern state to re-elect the BJP government.

"Last month, Manipur completed 50 years of its formation. During this period, the state witnessed several governments and their works. But after decades of Congress rule, Manipur got only inequality," he said.

"We do politics not just for forming governments but we do politics for building society and the country that's why we are not reluctant in taking tough decisions," says Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at a rally in Ballia

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait along with other members of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) will visit Prayagraj, Gorakhpur and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh ahead of assembly elections in these districts. Tikait, the influential national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), which is part of the SKM, shared the information on social media.

The SKM, an umbrella body of dozens of north Indian farmers' unions, had spearheaded the agitation against the Centre's now-repealed farm laws through protests that continued for over a year.

BKU spokesperson Saurabh Upadhyay said the SKM will hold presence conference in Prayagraj on February 23, in Gorakhpur on February 28 and in Varanasi on March 2.

“Farmer leaders Rakesh Tikait, Shivkumar Sharma 'Kakkaji', Yogendra Yadav, among others, will visit these places as part of the SKM programme. We are not telling anyone whom to vote for, we are just asking people to punish those who are against farmers,” Upadhyay said.

Peace Party President Dr Ayub, who is trying his luck once again in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, on Tuesday blamed the SP, BSP and Congress for the split in 'secular' and Muslim votes, and said if the three come together there will be no division of 90 per cent of these votes.

Under the banner of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) smaller parties like the National Ulama Council led by Maulana Amir Rashadi, Kisan Party led by Kurmi leader Dr BL Verma, Janhit Kisan Party of Shyam Sundar Chaurasia, Nagrik Ekta Party led by Mohammad Shamim have united and entered the poll fray.

The Peace Party of Dr Ayub is contesting on 50 seats as part of the UDA.

As the second phase of UP elections concluded, the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been kept in the strong room in Moradabad and District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar Singh inspected it as well as deployed three-tier security outside the premises.

Speaking to ANI, DM Singh said, "The election in West UP concluded and by late-night, all the EVMs reached the strong room. Three-tier security personnel have been deployed outside the premises. If a political party requests for visiting the strong room, they can do so. We have installed a CCTV camera inside the strong room."

"Samajwadi Party is with terrorists. They don't want the state to develop. BJP's double engine govt is working to establish a 'Ram Rajya'. BJP will give strong and stable government in the state," says UP CM Yogi Adityanath at a rally in Ayodhya

"In the last 5 years, BJP's double engine government worked towards the overall development of Manipur. You have seen BJP's good governance and good intentions. Our work in the last 5 years has laid the foundation for the next 25 years," says PM Modi in Manipur

PM Narendra Modi addresses election rally in Manipur

"We are winning on every seat. It's a battle of ideology. For us, nation is first but for other parties corruption, mafia, dynastic politics and criminals are on top priority," says BJP's candidate from Lucknow's Sarojini Nagar Rajeshwar Singh

They will not win the Assembly elections. BJP will win with full majority in the state, says Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on Congress leader Harish Rawat's claim of winning 48 seats and Congress forming govt in the state

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Rajyavardhan Rathore alleged that Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), and Aam Admi Party (AAP) don't act against terrorism and promote it indirectly due to their vote bank politics.

Rathore was responding to the statement of the Union Minister for home affairs and senior BJP leader Amit Shah who in a Pilibhit rally had said, "Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (Congress national general secretary) says that she has no time for stupid things like terrorism". Shah had also stated that "these Congress, SP and BSP people have always knocked at the doors of the courts to save terrorists".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday will address election rallies in Manipur's Imphal and Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich.

Last week Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had released its election manifesto for the 2022 Manipur assembly polls and promised host of 'freebies' while focusing on the protection of territorial integrity and preserving the rights of the indigenous people of Manipur and its rich culture.

Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani on Monday said that the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls was no ordinary elections and it was a fight between values and ‘goonda raj’.

Addressing a rally in support of party candidate Harshvardhan Bajpai, she attacked Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, saying, “We have seen how a chief of a party was pushed on stage by his own son.”

Akhilesh Yadav was seen in a video purportedly pushing his father Mulayam Singh Yadav on a stage during a power struggle within the party before the 2017 assembly elections.

“See the difference in values. On one side, senior SP leaders are pushed from stage and on the other, BJP’s Harshvardhan Bajpai bows to his father,” she said.

This Uttar Pradesh poll is no ordinary elections, “its development versus goonda raj and security versus goonda raj”, Irani said.

Two people have been arrested for allegedly beating up a Dalit youth with a shoe and dragging him with a belt around his neck here on Monday, police said. A video of the two men beating the youth has gone viral on social media. The incident took place in Biharigarh village under Bhopa police station limits, they said.

The arrested men were identified as Sanjay Kumar, the village head's husband, and his relative Omprakash.

According to the villagers, a community panchayat had been convened to resolve a dispute between the two parties. As the youth confronted Kumar and Omprakash, they allegedly thrashed him with a shoe and dragged him around by tying a belt around his neck.

Attacking Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday alleged that the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh was trying to divert people's minds away from real issues by speaking about "religion, Pakistan and terrorism".

"What benefit has BJP government given in last five years? They talk about religion, Pakistan and terrorism, but will not talk about the terror of unemployment and inflation. People do not have money for food and they divert our mind towards religion and Pakistan," Priyanka Gandhi said at a public meeting.

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat said on Monday that Congress will get more than 48 seats in the state due to strong anti-incumbency against the ruling BJP.

"We will get more than 48 seats in the state assembly polls," he said responding to a query about Congress chances of forming government in the state.

He also said that Congress doesn't work with a spirit of revenge.

"Being a senior Congress leader, I am saying that a Congress government will not work anywhere with the spirit of revenge," he said.

BJP candidate from Raebareli Aditi Singh on Monday launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for questioning Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government on unemployment and asked if there is any work done to address the issue in Congress-ruled states.

Speaking to ANI, Aditi targeted Priyanka over Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's "UP, Bihar ke Bhaiya" remark during the campaign trail in Punjab.

"Priyanka Gandhi had the opportunity of fulfilling all the promises she has made during election campaigns. What did they (Congress) do in Punjab and other states ruled by them?" Singh asked.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday promised the launch of the Purohit Welfare Board in the state for the welfare of priests, sadhus and special scholarship for students studying Sanskrit if the BJP is re-elected to power.

Addressing a public rally in Raebareli, Adityanath said, "We have decided to constitute a 'Purohit Kalyan Board' (Priest Welfare Board). All Sanskrit students will get a special scholarship."

The Chief Minister also slammed Congress for saying that they are accidental Hindu, and said, "They would not know anything about culture. They say they're accidental Hindu, we should be proud of being a Hindu."

Confident of the win in the Assembly elections, Adityanath said, "The immense gathering at Raebareli is a declaration of victory for the BJP and a historic defeat of the 'staunch dynast'."