News Analysis India

Tag: UP Assembly Polls

  • SP begins collecting proof of voter deletion in 2022 UP Assembly polls

    By IANS

    LUCKNOW: The Samajwadi Party (SP) has started the process of collecting evidence regarding the alleged deletion of voters’ names in the recent Assembly elections.

    The Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked SP president Akhilesh Yadav to “submit documentary proof” to substantiate his allegation about the deletion of voter names in 2022 UP Assembly polls.

    The SP president has now asked all the party candidates (winners and losers) and district units’ top office-bearers to gather evidence of names that were ‘wrongfully struck off voters’ lists’.

    They have been directed to compile photocopies of complaints made to returning officers at the time.

    The party has set November 3 as the deadline for the candidates to submit the documents to the party headquarters so that they could be sent to the Election Commission in time.

    A letter to this effect has been sent to all by SP state president Naresh Uttam Patel.

    Patel’s letter also asks to collect affidavits from such voters whose names were wrongfully struck off the voters’ lists.

    It may be recalled that on October 27, the EC had asked Akhilesh Yadav to submit proof to back up his charges by November 10.

    Akhilesh hit back at the poll panel on October 28 and said, “Had the Election Commission itself followed the rules related to the voters’ list in the 2022 UP Assembly polls, then thousands of voters would not have been deprived of their vote.”

    Last month, the SP chief had alleged that the names of 20,000 voters from the Yadav and Muslim communities had been deleted from almost all 403 Assembly constituencies ahead of the state elections in February-March.

    LUCKNOW: The Samajwadi Party (SP) has started the process of collecting evidence regarding the alleged deletion of voters’ names in the recent Assembly elections.

    The Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked SP president Akhilesh Yadav to “submit documentary proof” to substantiate his allegation about the deletion of voter names in 2022 UP Assembly polls.

    The SP president has now asked all the party candidates (winners and losers) and district units’ top office-bearers to gather evidence of names that were ‘wrongfully struck off voters’ lists’.

    They have been directed to compile photocopies of complaints made to returning officers at the time.

    The party has set November 3 as the deadline for the candidates to submit the documents to the party headquarters so that they could be sent to the Election Commission in time.

    A letter to this effect has been sent to all by SP state president Naresh Uttam Patel.

    Patel’s letter also asks to collect affidavits from such voters whose names were wrongfully struck off the voters’ lists.

    It may be recalled that on October 27, the EC had asked Akhilesh Yadav to submit proof to back up his charges by November 10.

    Akhilesh hit back at the poll panel on October 28 and said, “Had the Election Commission itself followed the rules related to the voters’ list in the 2022 UP Assembly polls, then thousands of voters would not have been deprived of their vote.”

    Last month, the SP chief had alleged that the names of 20,000 voters from the Yadav and Muslim communities had been deleted from almost all 403 Assembly constituencies ahead of the state elections in February-March.

  • UP polls: Political parties await results with bated breath

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: The stage is set for the culmination of the seven-phased electoral battle for Lucknow in the country’s most populous and politically most crucial state of Uttar Pradesh with the counting of votes to 403 assembly constituencies on Thursday.

    While the outcome of the 2022 assembly elections will be in a way a referendum on incumbent chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s performance, for others like the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress, it will be a do-or-die battle.

    No wonder then that the parties breached all barriers in holding a two-month-long high-octane campaign across 75 districts to woo voters outside the ambit of their clout and respective caste bases. However, the Election Commission of India imposed restrictions owing to the omicron-driven third wave of Covid-19.

    In what was appearing to be a bipolar contest between the ruling BJP and the main opposition Samajwadi Party, Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party relatively remained a silent player on the ground with the limited appearance of chief Mayawati in the poll arena. Mayawati has helmed UP for four terms as CM. After forming the government thrice in alliance with the BJP, Mayawati came to power with an absolute majority in 2007. On the other, Congress, which had been put of power in UP since 1989, succeeded in getting visibility through its extensive campaign across the state, this time.

    ALSO READ | Assembly polls: Stage set for counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh

    While the ruling BJP contested in alliance with its tried and tested partner Apna Dal (S) led by Anupriya Patel, who is a minister in Modi cabinet and NISHAD, led by Dr Sanjay Nishad, an MLC coming from the boatmen community among the most backward castes. The BJP fielded candidates on 376 of the total 403 Assembly segments leaving 24 seats for the allies.

    As for the Samajwadi Party, taking lessons from its back-to-back defeats since 2014, Akhilesh Yadav tried to beat the saffron brigade in its own game this time by stitching a rainbow coalition of seven smaller caste-based parties to do away with the tag of ‘the party of Yadavs and Muslims’.  SP had struck an alliance with Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Mahan Dal, Janwadi Party (Socialist), Apna Dal faction led by Krishna Patel, Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, Shivpal Yadav’s Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party and Gondwana Gantantra Party. BSP and Congress did not have any alliance and fielded candidates on all 403 seats.

    The notification for the seven-phases UP elections was issued on January 8 and the voting for 58 seats of 11 western UP districts in the first phase took place on February 10. The second phase for 55 seats across nine districts took place on February 14 followed by the third phase for 59 seats across 16 districts on February 20, the fourth phase for 61 seats across nine districts on February 23, fifth phase for 60 seats across 10 districts on February 27, sixth phase for 57 seats across 10 districts on March 3 and the last phase of voting for 54 seats across nine districts took place on March 7.

  • UP polls last phase: It’s Modi charisma all the way in Kashi as sitting MLA face anti-incumbency

    By Express News Service

    VARANASI: It’s Subah-e-Banaras… As the nascent sun emerges on the horizon over glittering waves of  Ganga, Varanasi, the city of salvation and now the centre of all the political action, gradually comes to life like a painting truly depicting the calmness of a winter morning in all its glory and hopes nurtured for the day ahead.

    Only a day is left for the biggest festival of democracy in Kashi with eight other districts which will see the culmination of the seven-phase battle royale with voting on Monday, March 7.

    Varanasi, the gateway to Uttar Pradesh, and now the state’s political capital, has eight assembly seats. Retaining all eight is a prestige issue for the BJP as Kashi is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency.

    The PM camped for two days till the high octane campaign ended in Varanasi on Saturday evening. He galvanised BJP workers by imparting them a ‘Vijay mantra’. He held roadshows, delivered poll speeches to seek another term for the Yogi government and again many of his gestures surprised his supporters on Saturday evening. Naturally, the BJP banked upon Modi’s enigma and his charisma to sail through in Varanasi where its sitting MLAs had been facing strong anti-incumbency.

    Vinay Yadav, the owner of a silk garment shop in the lane outside Kashi Vishwanath Temple, is an exception in the caste-ridden political arena of UP. He is a BJP office-bearer. On being asked about his saffron choice, Yadav claims that Modi’s arrival as MP has melted the caste boundaries in Kashi in 2014 “Sangathan mein jaan phhoonk kar chale gaye (he has rejuvenated the cadre),” Yadav exudes confidence of victory.

    ALSO READ | UP polls final phase: Religio-political issues, anti-incumbency dominate voters’ psyche

    In 2017, of eight assembly segments comprising three urban – Varanasi Cantt, Vanaransi North and Varanasi South — and five semi-urban — Pindra, Rohiniya, Sevapuri, Shivpur and Ajagara (SC) – BJP had won six and its allies — Apna Dal (S) had won Sevapuri and OP Rajbhar’s Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) Ajagara. Rajbhar is now in alliance with Samajwadi Party. This time, Apna Dal (S) is contesting on two seats and BJP on six.

    Both Akhilesh Yadav and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, also camped in Varanasi to shore up their parties’ prospects. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had also joined Akhilesh in the holy city to conduct a high-voltage poll campaign on March 3. But ask Varanasi electorate who still sound besotted with the charisma of PM Modi and dedication of UP CM Yogi Adityanath while spitting anger against sitting MLAs.

    Locals at the newly-built Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, inaugurated last December, and even at the ghats, swear by Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath.

     “We will only vote for Modi and Yogi — no one has done this level of development in UP. There is no fear now to move around at night. We feel secure,” says Rajiv Tiwari readily joined by his wife Kshama: “Modi-Yogi is unmatched,” refusing to comment on the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav. “For us, Modi is the best. It is Har Har Yogi, Ghar Ghar Modi in Varanasi,” she says.

    On a silent evening by the Ganges, Dharmesh Saini a boatman oozes his heart out. Rowing over waves of Ganga for 25 years, he yearns for a CNG version to replace his three-decade-old boat which he has taken on rent to make both ends meet. A CNG boat for Dharmesh would mean more money in less effort. However, the cost of a CNG boat seems beyond his reach even if he takes a loan. “I can still dream and hope that Yogiji will help me and many like me to own a CNG boat as Varanasi is his boss’s constituency,” says Dharmesh with an ear-to-ear grin.

    On the other, Dheeraj Saini, another boatman, feels the heat of inflation and price rise but supports Yogi as he got a boat licence and free CNG. “No previous government helped us like this. Ghats have become cleaners and beautiful to draw tourists who spend hours here. The corridor (Kashi Vishwanath) has increased footfall and our business,” admits Dheeraj.

    ALSO READ | UP polls: With heavyweights conducting rallies, Varanasi becomes the last big battleground

    “Aayenge toh Yogi hi,” says Abhyudai Singh, a Varanasi local enjoying a boat ride with his wife and two kids. “People of Varanasi can feel the development. For outsiders, it may be minuscule but those living here can feel it every bit. Cleanliness, proper sewage, drainage, ongoing work on roads, and above all controlled crime, have made a big difference,” says Abhyudai.

    “The biggest change has come in the form of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor. You can see its impact in Varanasi. It was beyond imagination to have a grand Corridor of Baba Vishwanath in the middle of a congested city. But Modi has made it ‘mumkin’ (possible),”  says Vinay Gupta, a businessman,  who claims he was ones against the idea of change in the contours of the city as it would have changed its flavor. “I was wrong. The essence of the city of Varanasi is intact,” he says with content.

    His wife Anamika is happy with the uninterrupted power supply. “Akhilesh speaks lies, Yogi does what is right. Earlier, there used to be only 5-6 hours of power supply in Varanasi, now it is 24-hour,” she draws the parallel between two regimes. If improvement in law and order is the most perceptible change in Varanasi for Aarti, a research scholar in BHU, Sarvesh Yadav of Mirzapur, pursuing post-graduation from BHU, is swayed by caste compulsions. “BJP government might have done a lot of good things, but it has failed to address unemployment. Competitive exams have become a mockery. Either paper is leaked or results are challenged. I will vote for change, for Akhilesh Yadav this time,” says Sarvesh admitting that UP voters are guided by caste inclinations.

    The anti-incumbency against the sitting MLAs is driving a wedge in the families. While Anjani Nandan Upadhyaya had made up his mind to vote for SP in Varanasi South seat where sitting MLA and Yogi minister Neelkanth Tiwari is facing a strong challenge by SP candidate and head priest of Mahamritunjay temple Kamshwar Nath Dixit alias Kishan Dixit, his wife was adamant at voting for Modi. “Modi’s roadshow has made me realize that I can’t betray him by voting for SP candidate,” concedes Upadhyaya who otherwise was angry with the arrogance of sitting MLA.

    “Change is sure. Even Modi will not be able to stop it. BJP MLAs are seeking apology but people of Kashi have made up their mind to back SP,” says Rajesh Patel, a school teacher impressed by SP’s promise of resonation of Old Pension Scheme.

    ALSO READ | UP polls: Religious, caste priorities dominate voters psyche in eastern region

    On the contrary, for a BHU employee seeking anonymity, a change in the government at the centre in 2014 followed by a change in the state itself has paved the way for better living conditions in Varanasi. “Ahead of every festival, there used to group seeking donations better called ‘rangdari’ (extortion). The police used to behave like an organised mob of dispensation. We used to look forward to (former SP minister) Shivpal Yadav’s visits because that was the only time we would have uninterrupted power,” he recalls the previous regime.

    Over the past seven years, several projects have been initiated and completed in Varanasi. Projects worth Rs 3,350 crore were inaugurated in February 2019, followed by the inauguration of another set of projects worth Rs 614 crore. In October 2021, the Prime Minister launched development projects worth Rs 5,200 crore for the makeover of the Ghats, cleanliness of the Ganga, construction of bridges, parking places and facilities in Banaras Hindu University; this was followed by the inauguration of the grand Kashi Vishwanath corridor in December.

    “No matter what the opposition says or how long it takes, people are assured that work will be done in Kashi as long as there is (PM) Modi,” says Dashrath Ram Sonkar, a vegetable and fruit vendor.

    However, as one traverses to the semi-urban pockets, the issues of stray cattle, demand for increasing MSPs, procurement centre in every village dominate the discourse but the overriding caste factor rings the most on the ground. Key seats set for big fights include Varanasi (North) where BJP’s two-time MLA Ravindra Jaiswal is in the fray, Varanasi (South) where BJP minister Neelkanth Tiwari is taking on SP’s Kameshwar Nath Dikshit in a ‘Brahmin vs Brahmin fight’, Pindra seat where Congress leader Ajay Rai is seeking election and Shivpur seat where minister Anil Rajbhar is taking on SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar’s son Arvind.

    The contest in the Sewapuri seat of Varanasi is significant too as it has three villages – Jayapur, Nagapur, and Kakarhia adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under the MP Adarsh Gram Yojana. Sewapuri has also been recognised as a “model block” by the NITI Aayog for development, a point that Shukla is raising in the campaign. 

  • UP polls: Phase–6 registers moderate 55.79 per cent voter turnout

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: A total of 57 constituencies across 10 districts covering the religious-political belt of UP from Ambedkarnagar in the central region to Gorakhpur and Kushinagar in the far east bordering Bihar and Nepal on the other side recorded a moderate – 55.79 per cent – voters’ turnout in the penultimate phase of ongoing 7-phased Assembly election of the state on Thursday.

    However, the voting continued till 6 pm and the final figures of Phase-6 will be revised by the state election commission on Friday. After phase-6, voting for 292 of the 403 Assembly seats has been completed. The final phase of polling in the remaining 54 seats across seven districts including Varanasi will be held on March 7.

    The bigwigs whose fate was sealed in phase-6 included UP CM Yogi Adityanath who made his debut in assembly electoral politics from Gorakhpur Urban. Others included BJP deserter Swami Prasad Maurya from Fazilnagar in Kushinagar, leader of opposition in state assembly Ram Govind Chaudhury of SP from Bansdih and UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu from Tamkuhiraj also in Kushinagar. Besides the fate of seven Yogi ministers was also at stake in this phase.

    The voters’ turnout in the sixth phase of the current elections has been slightly lower than the corresponding phase of 2017 Assembly polls as it was 55.52 per cent.

    In the sixth phase, of 57 seats up for grabs across Ambedkarnagar, Deorai, Ballia, Sant Kabir Nagar, Gorakhpur, Balrampur, Maharajganj, Basti, Kushinagar and Siddharthnagar, 48 were won by the BJP and its allies. The Bahujan Samaj Party had fared better than the Samajwadi Party in this phase in 2017 winning five seats. The SP could manage to bag just two seats and Congress one. Amanmani Tripathi had won as independent from Natutanva.

    ALSO READ | BJP politicising evacuation of Indians from Ukraine for UP polls: RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary

    In phase-6, the fate of total of 676 candidates was sealed in the EVMs. Around 2.14 crore voters were eligible to cast their vote to elect their favourite MLA. The trend of voting in phase-6 was in consonance with the corresponding phase in 2017 assembly polls. While Ambedkarnagar recorded the highest 62.66 per cent voters’ turnout, Balrampur logged the lowest count at 48.90 per cent. In 2017, Ambedkarnagar has registered 64.05 per cent voting and Balrampur was at bottom with 50.91 per cent.

    Ambedkarnagar was considered to be a bastion of BSP till 2017 when the party had won three out of five assembly constituencies. However, this time, it would be interesting to BSP bastion on March 10 as the party stalwarts including Lalaji Verma from Katehari, Ram Achal Rajbhar from Akbarpur and Tribhuvan Dutt from Alapur are contesting on SP ticket from their respective constituencies.

    The district which stood out in phase-6 defying the voting pattern of 2017 polls was Gorakhpur, the traditional bastion of Yogi Adityanath. In the land of Gorakshnath, the 11th-century saint, 58.89 per cent of voters turned up to exercise their franchise which surpassed 55.44 per cent recorded in 2017.

    Similarly, Kushinagar has been the other district to have registered 59 per cent voting which was slightly higher than 2017 when 58.16 per cent of voters had turned up to cast their vote.

    Meanwhile,  Ballia had 52.01 per cent, Balrampur 48.90 per cent, Basti 57.20 per cent, Deoria 56 per cent, Mahrajganj 59.50 per cent, Sant Kabir Nagar 52.21 per cent and Siddharth Nagar 51.60 per cent.

    Prominent among those who cast their votes in the morning included Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Basic Education Minister Satish Chandra Dwivedi, Rural Development minister Upendra Tiwari, Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chowdhury, Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar and former minister Narad Rai.

    Additional Chief Electoral Officer (ACEO) BDR Tiwari said that polling was going on peacefully in the state.

    In the re-polling at a polling station in Handia assembly seat in Prayagraj district, 59.55 per cent polling was recorded till 5 pm.

  • INTERVIEW | Nationalism, development, good law and order on BJP’s agenda, says Yogi Adityanath

    Express News Service

    The BJP will win 80 per cent seats in the Uttar Pradesh assembly and in the rest of 20 per cent, all other parties will try to find their feet. The BJP’s agenda is nationalism, development, and good law and order, UP CM and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath told Namita Bajpai in an interview. Excerpts: 

    Q. With UP polls already halfway, where do you find BJP standing?

    A. We are going ahead with nationalism, development and good law and order agenda. We are coming back winning 80 percent of seats in the state and forming the government as people have the confidence that BJP can provide them security and development.

    Q. Your statement over 80 per cent vs 20 per cent has drawn strong reactions. Your take

    A. I speak only what is real. I have been saying right from the beginning that this is a tussle of 80 percent and 20 percent. People have interpreted this as per their own perceptions. What I meant by saying it was that BJP will win 80 per cent of seats and in the rest of 20 per cent, all others will try to find their feet.

    Q. The polls in UP have become more or less bipolar between BJP and SP. Will it impact BJP prospects?

    A. In the 2019 General elections, SP and BSP had come together to stitch a mahagathbandhan (grand alliance). Even RLD was also a part of it and Congress had a tacit understanding with them. It had turned out to be a bipolar contest even then as it had become a fight of BJP Vs all. In that election, the BJP had taken a lead on 287-290 assembly segments. It was neither a triangular nor four-corner fight then. It was a straight fight and we won 80 per cent of the Lok Sabha seats. Rest 20 per cent were divided among others. Ironically, Samajwadi Party, leading the grand alliance, had slipped to the number three position. BSP was ahead of it.

    Q. Was SP-RLD alliance a setback for BJP in western UP?

    RLD was with the SP in the previous Lok Sabha elections as well. The results were there for everyone to see. It is not going to make much difference.

    Q. Why has there been an apparent shift from development to law and order in BJP’s narrative?

    A. Development becomes real and meaningful only when the poor feel secured and protected. Rule of law is the basic tenet of good governance. The first condition to establish rule of law is a genuine effort made by the dispensation to ensure security and respect to one and all without any discrimination. So we focused on law and order. We have made the state curfew-free, riot-free and fearless. There has been no riot and hence, no prolonged curfews during the last five years. We have inculcated fearlessness and confidence among girls who can now step out freely at any time. It was beyond imagination before 2017. We focused on the issue of rule of law but I have never missed the discussion on the development and welfare of the deprived in my discourse. Possibly, this is the first election post-independence, when people are acknowledging openly that law and order have improved genuinely on the ground.

    Q. Your poll speeches reflect that you are back to hardline and aggressiveness?

    A. There is neither a hard-line nor a soft line in BJP. We have only a single line shown by Lord Ram to rid the earth of demons or the one shown by Lord Krishna in Bhagwad Gita — Paritranaya Sadhunam (for the welfare of holy people). We follow these philosophies. We work to ensure a peaceful life for people bringing anti-social elements and criminals into the ambit of the law. We have tried to work to achieve this relentlessly and have already got our goal and vision set for the next five years.

    Q. SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav feels that your statement — Garmi Utar Jayegi — has offended many.

    A. Naturally, the statement will annoy them. The reason is that all those who used to resort to lawlessness and intimidation of others are associated with them. Be it the person behind Kairana migration or rioters inciting trouble from Saharanpur in the west to Mau in the east or even professional criminals and mafia who were hiding in their confines for the last five years, have come out after getting tickets from the Samajwadi Party. They have started showing their colours again by intimidating voters.  SP leaders feel offended by my statement because all of those who had been on our radar during the last five years used to run the Samajwadi Party government earlier. They had created a mess in UP. They brought infamy and disrepute to the state. So I consoled the people saying that all will be well after March 10. Secondly, their agenda does not include the welfare of the poor and deprived. They believe in patronizing the mafia and empathizing with terrorists. They are doing it even today.

    Q. Do you think the Supreme Court order to withdraw recovery notices against anti-CAA protestors has any impact on BJP prospects?

    A. No impact. The state government has already been working on the issue. When anti—CAA riots were plotted here, we had released an administrative order to handle the situation then. Later, we brought an Act in 2020. The government, under the Act, has already set up three tribunals in Lucknow, Meerut, and Prayagraj. Some of the cases have been handed over to the tribunals and the rest are in process of withdrawal when the SC order has come. The apex court has permitted us to act under the Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Act -2020

    Q. Stray cattle is a big issue in this election. Your take.

    A. It is not a new issue. It was always there and is not only limited to UP. Secondly, should we allow the slaughter of Gau Mata? We have closed illegal slaughterhouses and I say with conviction that illegal slaughterhouses will not be allowed to operate. Moreover, we have done a lot for the rehabilitation of shelterless cattle. At present, we are taking care of nine lakh stray cattle of which a lakh have been given to farmers to look after. We give an allowance of Rs 900 per month per cattle to the farmer. Even under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi , a new model to deal with the issue is ready in Kashi and it will be implemented in each UP district.

    Q. Your statement over the Hijab row created a flutter. Your take.

    A. I think personalized attire should be limited to places where there is no defined dress code or uniform. Everyone should abide by a dress code in institutions where it is well defined as it is a matter of discipline. It should not have been made an issue at all as there can be no alternative to discipline. So I feel that the system in the country will be run according to Constitution and not the personal laws.

    Q. Why has Aparna Yadav not been given a ticket?

    A. Aparna Yadav has not joined the BJP for a ticket. She has been a very good social worker and she has made it clear that she joined the BJP as PM Narendra Modi’s ‘nation first’ sentiment moved her. She believes in nationalism and the party will certainly think about her in the days to come.

    Q. Do you think the Lakhimpur Kheri incident has been an issue in this election?

    A. BJP is winning all the seats of Lakhimpur Kheri. I have campaigned on all the seats and there is no doubt about the party’s victory there with good margins.

    Q. How do you intend to address anti-incumbency against MLAs in various assembly segments?

    A. Look, people have to vote for government formation and it will be done if we get an adequate number of MLAs. At least, two years of our tenure were spent in fighting Covid. The BJP MLAs have done a good job but many of them might not have come up to people’s expectations. I appeal to the people to vote for BJP and I assure them that the government will address all issues which people have against the MLAs in their constituencies.

  • UP polls: BJP, Congress face challenges to save strongholds in Phase 4

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: With the first three phases of UP assembly elections over in western UP, Rohilkhand, central UP, and parts of Bundelkhand with prominent pockets of Jats, Muslims, and Yadavs, the stage is now set for the fourth phase of polling on Wednesday, February 23, over 59 seats spread across nine districts of Awadh, Terai and Bundelkhand regions.

    In this phase, the seats going to polls fall in strongholds of both the BJP and the Congress. While the Samajwadi Party is trying to breach the saffron dominance of 201, BSP has the challenge of sustaining its relevance.

    Phase -4 includes 16 reserved constituencies. Pilibhit, Lakhimpur-Kheri, Sitapur, Lucknow, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Fatehpur, and Banda districts will go to the polls on Wednesday. While Lucknow, Sitapur, Unnao, and Hardoi are considered to be the strongholds of BJP, Raebareli is the pocket borough of Congress. BSP is eyeing to make gains in Banda and Fatehpur.

    A total of 624 candidates are in the fray from 59 Assembly seats. The maximum number of candidates – 15 – are testing the poll waters in Sawayajpur in Hardoi while a minimum of six candidates each, are contesting for two seats — Palia in Lakhimpur Khari and Sevata in Sitapur.

    ALSO READ | UP polls: Yogi brings the ‘bulldozer’ reference again; Akhilesh counts utility of ‘bicycle’

    In 2017, the saffron juggernaut had taken away 50 of 59 seats while one seat was won by its ally Apna Dal (S). Main opposition SP could win four seats, while two seats each were won by the BSP and Congress. This phase will witness a fierce battle for the state capital Lucknow having nine assembly segments of which the BJP had won eight and SP one in 2017.

    In the fourth phase, the fate of four Yogi ministers including Brijesh Pathak, Ashutosh Tandon, Jai Kumar  Singh ‘Jackie’ and Ranvendra Pratap Singh alias Dhunni Singh are at stake from Lucknow Cantt, Lucknow -East, Bindki and Hussainganj seats in Fatehpur district respectively. Even former ministers like SP’s Dr Abhishek Mishra and Manoj Pandey are also in the fray respectively from Sarojininagar seat of Lucknow and Unchahar of Reabareli.

    While the BJP is facing the challenge of saving its pride in the stronghold of former PM and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Lucknow, SP is depending upon the anti-incumbency against some of the sitting BJP MLAs who are in the contest again and also some new faces fielded by the party.

    ALSO WATCH |

    It will be interesting to watch how the Lakhimpur Kheri violence issue plays out in the poll arena on Wednesday.  It may be recalled that Lakhimpur Kheri had hit the headlines after a farmers’ protest took a violent turn on October 3, 2021, and eight persons had lost life. The stir had gone violent after four protesting farmers were killed when the crowd of protestors was ploughed in by an SUV owned by Union Minister and sitting BJP MP Ajay Mishra Teni. In the aftermath, three persons were lynched by the angry mob. Teni’s son Ashish Mishra is the keyaccused in the farmers’ killing case and has been granted bail recently by Allahabad High Court.

    The opposition has constantly been targeting the BJP over the incident seeking Teni’s removal from the Modi cabinet.

    ALSO READ | BJP builds on ‘suraksha’, free grains in UP polls; faces questions on unemployment

    This phase is crucial for the BJP which faces the challenge in Pilibhit of Terai region where its MP Varun Gandhi has been humming discordant tunes speaking up against his own party. Varun is BJP MP from Pilibhit, a farmer and Sikh-dominated constituency. In fact, both Pilibhit and Lakhimpur Kheri have a considerable chunk of the Sikh population who were rehabilitated in the Terai region after they took refuge in India following the 1947 partition. Now the community owns a huge expanse of farming land in the most fertile region of UP.

    Moreover, the year-long farmers’ protest over three now scrapped farm laws has some resonance on the ground in the Terai region as it is believed that at least one member had joined the farmers’ stir from every Sikh family.

    While the BJP is facing the challenge from rebel candidates in Sitapur, for the Congress, the biggest challenge of these elections comes in Rae Bareli as both the sitting Congress MLAs Aditi Singh from Raebareli Sadar and Rakesh Pratap Singh from Harchandpur, have turned rebels and are now contesting on BJP ticket.

    Rae Bareli is the parliamentary constituency of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the party will face major embarrassment if it fails to retain its citadel.

  • UP polls: Fierce battle on cards for capital in phase-4 

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: The seat of power in Uttar Pradesh, state capital Lucknow has an obvious and quintessential ‘Nawabi’ flavour to politics. Set to vote in phase-4 of 7-phased state assembly elections on Wednesday, stakes are high in Lucknow for two prominent ministers of the Yogi cabinet and a high-profile ED officer who took VRS last month to test the poll waters.

    While Brajesh Pathak is in the fray from Lucknow Cantt and Ashutosh Tandon, son of BJP veteran late Lalji Tandon, will test the waters from Lucknow East. Rajeshwar Singh, former joint director at Enforcement Directorate, who not so long ago was investigating many high-profile cases, is now a BJP candidate from the Sarojininagar assembly segment.

    Both Lucknow Cantt and Lucknow East are urban seats with a significant chunk of upper caste voters. While Pathak is facing three-time corporator Surendra Singh Gandhi alias Raju Gandhi from Samajwadi Party and Anil Pandey from BSP, Tandon is fighting it out against SP national spokesperson Anurag Singh Bhadouriya and advocate Ashish Kumar Sinha from BSP. In 2017, SP had fielded Aparna Yadav, the younger daughter-in-law of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, from Cantt against the then Congress turncoat Rita Bahuguna Joshi who had contested on BJP ticket and had won the seat with a comfortable margin of over 33,000 votes.

    Now Aparna, who joined the BJP recently and was expecting the ticket from Cantt seat, is seeking votes for Pathak.

    Similarly, Rajeshwar Singh is facing the challenge from Dr Abhishek Mishra, an IIM-Lucknow product and former minister in the SP government. While BSP has fielded a Muslim – Jalis Khan– against Rajeshwar Singh, Congress has placed its bet on Rudra Daman Singh, also a Thakur.

    ALSO READ | UP polls: Yogi brings the ‘bulldozer’ reference again; Akhilesh counts utility of ‘bicycle’

    In all, Lucknow has nine assembly segments of which the ruling BJP had won eight in 2017. One seat of Mohanlalaganj in the rural pocket of the state capital had gone to the SP. Other BJP candidates to watch out for are Jai Devi from Malihabad (SC), wife of Union minister and BJP MP Kaushal Kishore, and veteran worker and functionary Yogesh Shukla from Bakshi Ka Talab. A similar situation prevails in Mohanlalganj with Amresh Kumar from BJP taking on former SP MP Sushila Saroj.

    On the other side Samajwadi Party has fielded strong contenders Ravidas Mehrotra from Lucknow Central, Arman from Lucknow West and Gomti Yadav from Bakshi Ka Talab, all having the potential to sway voters towards their side. Congress has fielded anti-CAA protestor Sadaf Jafar from Lucknow West. Zafar was arrested in connection with the stir that had turned violent leading to large-scale arson in state capital in December 2019.

    As per the pulse on the ground, voters of urban Lucknow including seats – Lucknow East, West, North, Central, and Lucknow Cantt are voicing concern for local issues ranging from traffic blues to illegal construction and narrow lanes, betterment of infrastructure and cleanliness. However, people are impressed by the performance of the incumbent government over uninterrupted power supply, refurbished law and order, and the issue of nationalism. Even the Modi factor is also playing out on the ground prominently. BJP had won all five constituencies in 2017.

    While Diwakar Mishra, of Lucknow-North, pitches in for the BJP saying every issue becomes irrelevant when it comes to the nation first. Mishra, a professor in a local degree college, claims this is not a normal election. “This election will decide the fate of not only UP but the nation also. My vote will go to the party that talks of nationalism and put the nation first. I can resolve my minor issue myself. The government has a bigger task at hand,” says Mishra supported by Rajneesh Jain, dealing in the trade of chikan clothes.

    “Hit by back-to-back waves of the pandemic, trade took an obvious hit but the third wave has passed easily with losses to trade being not as much as the second wave. We are getting back on track and the government’s one district, one product (ODOP) scheme is helping out us in a big way,” says Jain. Chikan business is to the tune of over Rs 10,000 crore annually in and around Lucknow.

    However, Ajit Sonkar of Lucknow Central is irritated with frequent traffic jams. “Traffic jam is a permanent issue here. No government has been able to resolve it,” says Sonkar, who owns a medical store in Qaiserbagh.  For Javed Alam of Aminabad, encroachment has been a major issue. “Authorities do not pay heed to regular complaints lodged against encroachments in Aminabad which is one of the most prominent markets of Lucknow,” says Alam. It slows the traffic leading to long jams, he adds.

    Gyanesh Verma of Lucknow East feels that lawmakers should become more active and remain in constant touch with the people after getting elected. Manya of the same assembly segment feels that the Yogi government should come back and bring the promises of investment to the ground. “More opportunities for youth should be generated and a better atmosphere for business be created. Only BJP can do it,” says Manya, a boutique owner.  However, Mohammad Faraaz is fed up with the cancellation of papers paper leaks, and delayed results of competitive exams.“Sometimes the wait is so long that aspirant becomes overage,” he substantiates his point.

    ALSO READ | BJP builds on ‘suraksha’, free grains in UP polls; faces questions on unemployment

    “Roads should be taken proper care of,” says Dr LD Mishra of Vineet Khand in posh Gomti Nagar. He also wants the health infrastructure to be improved further.  “There should be no paucity of doctors. Appointment of doctors should be made a priority,” he says.

    Sudhakar Pandey and Vinit Singh of Rajajipuram in Lucknow West are of the view that the elected MLA should be readily available. “Power supply has improved a lot. During COVID second wave, oxygen paucity was there but the government was present on every door with free medicines and ration. It is commendable. Civic woes like sewage, drainage, and garbage disposal need more attention,” says Pandey.

    On shifting the focus to rural pockets of Lucknow comprising three segments including Malihabad, Bakshi Ka Talab, and Mohanlalganj. In Malihabad, a reserved seat has around three lakh voters and is identified as one of the main centres of the famous Mango belt, a combination of Yadav, Pasi, and Muslims are believed to be the deciding factor. Here the ruling party’s sitting MLA Jai Devi is a tough challenge from Surender Kumar of SP and also Jagdish Rawat of BSP. Around 23,589 hectares of land in Malihabad is covered under mango cultivation.

    Similarly, people in Mohanlalganj, another reserved seat, complain of lack of development. As per the pulse of the ground, Samajwadi Party, which had won the seat in 2017, has an upper edge this time as well. However, free ration, free power connection, cylinders, houses, and toilets have a resonance among voters on the ground. Having Yadavs around 45,000 and scheduled castes around 1.25 lakh, voters of Malihabad admit that the BJP has been able to sensitize people over the issue of Hindutva. However, unemployment is an issue here.

    “Our vote, even if given to the BJP, would be counted as given to SP. So why not give it to SP,” says Dinkar Yadav, 65, a farmer. He is interrupted by his son Anil, a science graduate and preparing for civil services. “It is very difficult to convince the older generation. They will go with SP. However, youngsters will vote as per their choice,” says Anil of Kankaha village of Mohanlalganj.

    However, Suresh Lodhi, owning a paan kiosk is happy that the BJP has fielded its own candidate from the seat, a stronghold of SP and BSP, for the first time. “Please come on March 10 to see the difference,” says Suresh having the caste configuration of Mohanlalganj on his fingertips. However, common voters crave development in the constituency.

    In Bakshi ka Talab, the fight is tough for the saffron brigade which has replaced the incumbent MLA Arvind  Trivedi with a new face but a veteran BJP worker Yogesh Shukla. SP has fielded the popular face Gomti Yadav and BSP has fielded a Muslim Salauddin Siddiqui.

    Interesting contests are also unfolding in other districts of the Lucknow division. Among the ones which are being closely tracked are Bangarmau and Purwa in Unnao. During the Modi wave, BJP managed to sweep Bangarmau for the first time in 2017. The BJP MLA of that time Kuldeep Singh Sengar was convicted in a rape case following which bypolls were held. BJP had secured the seat yet again and is trying to repeat its performance. The party has fielded sitting MLA Shrikant Katiyar while SP has Munna Alvi. Meanwhile, in Purwa, a seat that was won by the BSP in 2017, BJP has fielded Anil Singh, the sitting BSP MLA who switched sides in 2018.

    In Sitapur, seven out of nine seats were won by the BJP. Political observers feel that the fight is intense on four seats including Sevata, Maholi, Misrikh (reserved), and Hargaon.

    In Hardoi, the Naresh Agarwal family is dominating the scene. Naresh Agarwal’s son Nitin joined BJP to contest the polls. His family has a lot of clout in Hardoi. Anil Verma from SP and Shobhit Pathak from BSP are fighting against him. 

  • UP polls: Tikunia incident haunts some; price rise, stray cattle, cane dues also issues for Kheri voters

    Express News Service

    LAKHIMPUR KHERI: Tikunia ….. The township, bordering Nepal, was sleepy and non-descript till October 3, 2021, when it witnessed one of the most gruesome incidents of violence which brought disrepute to it. Eight persons including four farmers lost their lives. The farmers were run over allegedly by an impudent son of a union minister and in the aftermath of it, three persons were lynched by angry mob. The anger that spilled across the district was hard to handle by dispensation.

    An eerie silence prevails in Banveerpur village of Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni, sitting BJP MP from Lakhimpur Kheri and Union Minister. People busy in daily grind go silent when one asks them about October 3 violence. On changing the topic they return to spirited discussion. “We are getting free ration, power supply, house for poor but price rise has offset whatever positive the government has done,” says Ram Autar Singh, a farmer, who also claims that all issues aside, his choice is the ‘Phool’ (lotus).

    ALSO READ | BJP will break all its victory records in UP polls, there is pro-incumbency: Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma

    Tikunia votes under Nighasan assembly constituency, one among the eight which BJP had swept in 2017 under the intense Modi wave. However, as one comes out of the Banveerpur village, one finds that despite the nationwide outrage, October 3 violence somehow is fading from memory.  Some believe it was a plot against Teni. “Monu Bhaiyya (Ashish Mishra, key accused of Tikunia violence) has fallen victim to a well-plotted conspiracy. All those who had assembled at the college ground were outsiders. The incident is a thing of the past,” says Avinash Shukla, an LLB student who studies in Lucknow but has gone to his native village Barotha to cast vote under Phase-iv on February 23.

    Last week, Ashish Mishra came out of jail on bail granted to him by Allahabad High Court. “Despite all that happened on October 3, Teni Maharaj is our saviour. He stands by us in our grief and happiness. He solves our problems, he is our ‘Saansad’ (MP). People are out to defame him but he will come out of it,” says Manish Verma, a Kurmi, hoping that the Tikunia incident does not affect Phool (lotus)  on the ground on the day of voting.

    Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’, Union Minister of State from Home affairs, the sitting BJP MP from Lakhimpur Kheri, had won from Nighasan assembly constituency in 2012. It is a buzz that Teni’s son Ashish, the key accused of the Tikunia incident was claimant of BJP ticket from Nighasan seat but the violence ended his quest abruptly.

    Karamjeet Singh, riding a motorbike, when stopped and asked about the impact of violence on the ground, comes out openly. “You take my words. Granting bail to Ashish Mishra is not right. While he is out, our people accused in the lynching cases are still behind the bars. Is kand ka asar March 10 ko dikhega (the impact of the Tikunia incident will reflect in the result on March 10),” he asserts only to be confronted by a youth Satish Gupta, a grocery shop owner. “Those who were killed were outsiders. It is not going to impact voting patterns neither in Nighasan nor in entire Kheri,” he says. However, people agree that there is simmering anger among the Sikh community which makes around 20,000-40,000 of the population in different assembly segments, over the October 3 incident.

    The discourse shifts to other issues as for Mohammad Mian, husband of Barsola village head, Parveen Sana, Tikunia violence is no issue in the ongoing elections. “Flood is the major problem here. Every year we face the fury of inundated Mohan and Karna rivers as the flood water devours our crops,” he laments. For Jibrail, a farmer, the issue of stray cattle is also prominent but he finds relief as the authorities have become active and infirmed animals are being kept in Gaushalas as he claims. For Shafiq Ahmad, head of Sukhna Barsola village, stray cattle issue is serious.

    ALSO READ | UP polls: BJP gave step-motherly treatment to Raebareli, says Sonia Gandhi

    Discontent is palpable among the cane growers of Lakhimpur Kheri, also known as the sugar bowl of UP. Humkum Singh, a cane grower in the Palia assembly segment puts forth the issue. “The private mills are lagging behind in clearing the dues of the cane farmers. The cooperative mills are making regular payments but the government has not been able to prevail over the mills owned by Bajaj. Our dues of 15 days are still pending and the government needs to intervene,” he says supported by Jwala Singh Patel, another cane grower. “We depend for our daily expenses on the payment made to us by the sugar mills. If the mill owners falter in payment, life becomes tough for us,” he says.

    Lakhimpur Kheri has over nine sugar mills of which three are private and owned by the Bajaj group. In Palia, the Assembly constituency adjoining Nighasan, the common perception is that the people of Nighsan will not open up against ‘Teni Maharaj’ who has the image of Kheri’s strongman. “People, especially, the Sikhs will not speak against Teni Maharaj in Nighasan as they know that they have to live there only,” says Anurag Mishra, 45, a teacher of Palia. Mishra thinks that the Tikunia incident brought taint to Lakhimpur Kheri.

    Besides, people are vocal about the price rise and unemployment. “There has been an increase in wages (Rs 300/day) for labourers during the last five years. Moreover, after the COVID, many of us are compelled to work even on reduced rates – Rs 250-270 per day. Why will we vote for this government then?,” asks Sanjeev, a contractor providing labourers.

    “They gave the gas connection and a cylinder free but now we can’t afford to refill it spending Rs 1000. So out women are back to chulha,” says Kamlesh Yadav, working at a saree shop in Palia, spells out his choice in favour of Samajwadi Party.

    On the other, Kalyan Gautam, an ardent Mayawati supported refuses to accept that the fight in UP is more or less bipolar with depleted Bahujan Samaj Party. “No Behenji is not out of the race. She doesn’t believe in making noises and personal attacks like BJP and SP. She is fighting the elections gracefully and results will tell a different story on March 10,” he claims. However, law and order seem to have some traction on the ground but then the October 3 incident comes to haunt them.

  • Phase–3 of UP polls registers 57.58 per cent voters’ turnout, lowest than 2017 polls

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: The third phase of UP elections over 59 constituencies across 16 districts comprising eight of central UP also known as Yadav land, four of Kanpur division and Bundelkhand each witnessed a moderate turnout of 57.58 per cent as per the figures released by State Election Commission till 5 pm on Sunday.

    However, the voting continued till 6 pm and the final figures will be revised by the state election commission on Monday.

    The voters’ turnout in the third phase of the current elections is lower than the corresponding phase of 2017 Assembly polls as it was 62.98 per cent. Of the total 59 seats which went to polls on Sunday, at least 28 seats had a dominant Yadav population.

    In the third phase, of 59 seats up for grabs across Mainpuri, Etawah, Kannauj, Firozabad, Farrukhabad, Auriayya, Jhansi, Mahoba, Lalitpur, Hamirpur, Hathras, Kanpur Nagar, Kanpur Dehat, Kasganaj, Etah and Jalaun, 49 were bagged by the ruling the BJP which succeeded in breaching the Yadav citadel. The Samajwadi Party had won eight seats and one each had gone to BSP and Congress.

    The district which locked the highest percentage of voting in the third phase on Sunday has been Lalitpur in Bundelkhand with 67.38 per cent (72.02% in 2017) and the district which registered the lowest polling percentage has been Kanpur Nagar with 50.76 per cent. It had recorded the lowest 57.26% voting in 2017 as well.

    In phase-3, the fate of a total of 627 candidates including 97 women was sealed in the EVMs. Around 2.16 crore voters of which 1.07 crore were men and over 99,79,704 women exercised their franchise to elect their favourite MLA.

    The prominent names in the fray in phase–3 included SP chief and former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav from Karhal, Shivpal Singh Yadav contesting on SP symbol from Jaswantnagar, Satish Mahana of BJP from Mahrajpur of Kanpur, Asim Arun of BJP from Kannauj Sadar, Ramveer Upadhyaya of BJP from Sadabad, Nilima Katiyar, Yogi Minister from Kalyanpur in Kanpur Nagar, Rakesh Sachan of BJP from Bhognipur and Ravi Sharma of BJP from Jhansi.

    During more or less peaceful voting in the third phase, a 25-year-old BJP worker was killed in the Hathras district on Sunday. The deceased was identified as Krishna Yadav, a general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM).

    Local police first received information about the murder around 2.30 pm on Sunday. Krishna Yadav was shot inside his house in the Gausganj Mohalla area of the Sikandra Rao assembly constituency. Relatives rushed the 25-year-old to the trauma centre in Aligarh where he was declared dead upon arrival. The victim’s sister said he suffered a bullet injury to the head.

    Hathras police in a statement said spots of blood were found on the first floor of Yadav’s residence. A homemade pistol and an empty cartridge have also been recovered from the scene of the crime.

  • Oust BJP from UP to root it out at national level, Mamata urges voters 

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Having joined the poll campaign in support of Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee urged the people of Uttar Pradesh to oust the BJP from the state to remove it from the Centre.

    Addressing a joint virtual rally with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav here on Tuesday, the West Bengal CM cautioned the people of Uttar Pradesh against wasting their vote on the BJP in the coming UP Assembly elections.

    Seeking votes in favour of the Akhilesh Yadav-led alliance, Mamata said SP was the only alternative to BJP in UP. She exhorted the people of Uttar Pradesh to oust the BJP from UP in order to root it out at the national level. “UP has a vast history. It has given the majority of PMs to the nation. If the BJP is defeated in UP, then it won’t survive at the national level. So vote dedicatedly against the BJP in UP,” said Banerjee.

    The Trinamool Congress chief slammed UP CM Yogi Adityanath for alleged mismanagement of Covid-19 in the state, especially during the second wave.

    ALSO READ | UP polls: PM Narendra Modi pitches development agenda, accuses previous state governments of loot

    She claimed that when people were suffering during the second wave of COVID in UP, CM Yogi was campaigning in West Bengal to defeat her, last year. “So you had come to Bengal to defeat us…where were you when people were dying of Covid,” she said.

    Accusing the state authorities under CM Yogi of failing to provide wood to people to perform the last rites of their loved ones who lost the battle of life toCOVID, Mamata asked whether the UP government didn’t have woods to cremate them. “We revere Ganga Ma. And here you threw dead bodies in Ganga. Many dead bodies floated to Bengal. We picked up those bodies and respectfully cremated them. Did you not have wood to cremate the bodies?” she asked.

    Mamata Banerjee arrived in Lucknow on Monday evening in a show of support to the SP-led alliance contesting the assembly elections.

    Mocking at the BJP’s Sankalp Patra released on Tuesday, the West Bengal CM wondered if it was a manifesto or “Moneyfesto”. The BJP had planned to release its manifesto on Sunday but deferred it by two days as a mark of respect to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar who passed away on Sunday morning.

    Banerjee said that the saffron party released its manifesto on Tuesday on hearing that she would be in Lucknow.

    Raking up the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, the TMC leader asked the BJP to seek forgiveness over the incident in which a Union minister’s son is accused of running over the SUV on protesting farmers.

    Meanwhile, talking to media persons in the same interaction, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cancelled physical rally in Bijnor due to weather conditions, saying that the weather was bad for the BJP. “BJP’s plane will not land in UP now,” he said.