Tag: Uttar Pradesh Polls

  • Uttar Pradesh elections: Voting percentage for all phases same as in 2017 polls

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Voters’ turnout in almost two-thirds of the assembly seats during five rounds of polling in Uttar Pradesh is more or less the same as in the 2017 polls, leaving political parties and experts guessing whether it’s pro-incumbency or anti-incumbency votes.

    A look at the voters’ turnout in the 2019 general elections in the state also doesn’t reflect much of a difference. While some attribute it to coronavirus, others say voters have tested all the parties in the polls and hence are not enthused by new poll promises made by the competing parties.

    Out of the seven-phase elections, the politically important state has completed five rounds and the rest two are lined up on March 3 and March 7. Results will be declared on March 10 along with that of Punjab, Uttrakhand, Goa and Manipur.

    The opening phase of the elections on February 10 saw a voter turnout of 62.43 per cent in the 58 assembly constituencies in western Uttar Pradesh. It was 63.47 per cent in 2017 and 61.84 per cent in the last general elections.

    But, Kairana which had earlier hit the headlines because of reported migration due to bad law and order saw a leap from 69.56 to 75.12 per cent voting this time.

    As per data available with the election office, the second phase of polling on 55 assembly segments on February 14 registered 64.42 per cent vis-a-vis 65.53 per cent five years back and 63.13 per cent in the last Parliamentary elections.

    The hot seat Rampur of jailed SP leader Azam Khan saw almost a ditto voters’ turnout at 63.92 per cent vis-a-vis 63.97 in 2017.

    The third phase which saw voting in the Karhal constituency from where Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav is contesting witnessed a 62.28 voting percentage as compared to 62.21 per cent five years back and 59.73 in the last general elections.

    Reports suggest it is the second-highest voting percentage in Mulayam Singh Yadav’s bastion, after 71.4 per cent in 1974.

    The fourth round on February 23 which saw voting in the state capital Lucknow among others on 59 seats, saw nearly 61.52 per cent voting as per voters turnout App of the Election Commission as compared to 62.55 per cent in 2017 and 60.3 per cent in 2019.

    Fifth-round on 61 seats including that in Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Amethi and Raebareli on February 27 witnessed 57.32 per cent voting while it was 58.24 in 2017 and 55.31 in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

    For the sixth phase on March 3 which will see voting in the high-profile seat of Gorakhpur Urban from where Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is in the fray, the challenge is to cross the voting percentage of 56.52 in 2017.

    So is in the last round on March 7 which includes Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency where the 2017 mark was 59.56 per cent.

    It was 57.48 in the last parliamentary polls. On voters’ turnout, Yogi Adityanath says it’s more and less the same as last time and it means things are going in the right direction. Former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, when contacted, told PTI, “I wonder why the voter turnout has not increased this time. It could be because the voters’ education efforts were less this time?”

    Sanjay Kumar (Professor and Co-Director of Lokniti, a Research Programme at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies) told PTI, “If you compare with the previous elections, the turnout is not very low. It varies by 1-2 per cent.”

    “Normally, whenever people decide to change the government, there is an atmosphere about it, which in turn increases the turnout. This was visible in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, as the polling percentage increased as compared to the 2009 elections,” he said.

    “There is ‘udaaseentaa’ (indifference) in the minds of the voter (towards voting). Now, whether it is indifference towards anti-incumbency or pro-incumbency, it will be known only after the results are declared,” the psephologist said.

    State BJP spokesperson Manish Shukla said, “Irrespective of the voters’ turnout, the BJP voters are coming out of their home and voting for the party. However, the same cannot be said about other political parties, as their voters seem to be inactive. This can be possibly due to the rift within the SP-led alliance.”

    Samajwadi Party spokesperson Rajpal Kashyap said that discrepancies in the voter list and people moving out of the state for work after easing in the covid situation have reduced the polling percentage. “However, the SP is gaining ground in every phase,” he said.

    His Congress counterpart Ashok Singh said, “It is a festival of democracy, and the party is contesting with full energy. We will throw surprising results. The slogan ‘ladhki hoon, ladh saktee hoon’ has ushered in a political revolution.”

    Manoj Goswami (75), a resident of Lucknow central assembly constituency, said, “I did not cast my vote fearing that I will get infected with COVID-19.” Sushil Kashyap, a tea seller in Lucknow Latouche road says, “We have seen all the parties’ governments. They all are almost the same.”

    Amid inertia shown by many voters, the five phases witnessed some pleasant examples. In Prayagraj’s Allahpur, 78-year-old Bhuri Pathak suffering from a hip fracture went to the polling station in an ambulance to exercise her franchise.

    In Lucknow, a mother who delivered a baby, turned up at a polling booth the next day. There are over 14.66 lakh first-time voters (18-19 years old) in UP polls this time. Overall more than 52 lakh names of new voters were added for the 2022 polls.

    The count of total voters in UP polls is over 15.02 crore. Due to the COVID pandemic, the Election Commission has extended voting time by an hour.

  • Much at stake in U.P. final rounds

    Express News Service

    VARANASI:  With five phases of UP polls over, the stage is set for a more fierce battle to win the Purvanchal — the eastern fort — in the sixth and seventh phases on March 3 and 7, respectively. With voters having sealed the fate of candidates in over 290 seats spread across 58 districts of UP, Purvanchal has the remaining 111 seats up for grabs in the two final phases covering CM Yogi Adityanath’s bastion of Gorakhpur and Modi’s stronghold of Varanasi besides Azamgarh, the pocketborough of Yadav clan.

    With no palpable wave in favour of any particular party in more or less a bipolar contest between the BJP and the SP, the final phases are expected to witness the presence of Bahujan Samaj Party in some pockets, giving a triangular flavour to the poll battle.

    In the 1990s, eastern UP witnessed the emergence of players like SP and BSP which had woven their discourse around ‘social justice’. Both the SP and BSP stalwarts — Mulayam Singh Yadav and Kanshi Ram respectively— succeeded in convincing the OBCs and SCs that the respective parties would improve their condition. However, failing to adhere to their ideologies firmly, with passage of time, bahubalis or mafia dons started calling the shots in the political landscape of eastern UP.

    However, during the last five years, the might of bahubalis has seen some depletion due to the re-alignment of communities in favour of the parties of their choice. The Pasmanda Ansari Muslims, who basically belong to weavers’ community thriving in districts like Mau, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Azamgarh, are still in search of a party that can provide them development. They sound divided over voting for their traditional identity-related party, the SP, which has angered them for not being given representation in tickets allocation this time.

    The issues like stray cattle, price rise and unemployment are ringing in the ground only for those who have decided to vote for a change. Local problems do not have that much of an impact on the ground. Development, law and order and the benefit of welfare schemes seem to have slightly higher resonance on the ground.

    Moreover, in some places, polarisation against the Muslim-Yadav combination, which can be seen consolidating firmly in favour of Samajwadi Party across the state, is imminent. In 2017, BJP had won 75 of the 111 seats in the region, its allies Apna Dal (S) had won 5 and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), which opened its account in alliance with saffron brigade, walked away with four seats. SP had won 13, BSP 11 and Congress could bag just one seat. 

    Big rallies being addressed by PM Modi himself coupled with those addressed by Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath, in this region influence the voters. While Adityanath and Shah are reassuring the voters to take development and law and order to even higher notches, Modi is striking an emotional connect in a style quintessential to him.

    However, the popularity of PM Modi fails to move the voters in Azamgarh, which was won by Mulayam Singh Yadav despite the Modi wave in 2014 followed by Akhilesh Yadav in 2019. Here the BJP could won just one seat of Phulpur Pawai out of 10 Assembly segments. Rest nine assembly seats were taken away by SP (5) and BSP(4).

    The BSP had a strong base here in the late 1980s and 1990s and was the biggest challenger to the Modi wave in 2014 by coming second in 34 UP Lok Sabha constituencies — many of them in eastern UP. The party, relatively silent this time with depleted leadership strength, is banking upon the support of Muslims and non-Jatav Dalits, smaller sub-castes and the Brahmins among the upper castes. Mayawati is again betting on the Brahmin-Muslim-Dalit combination which had won her power in 2007.

    The remaining stretch of the UP campaign in Purvanchal is a no-holds barred fight between the three principal players. Much is at stake for every political party and its leaders: the political survival of the BSP and of Mayawati, the credibility of Akhilesh Yadav and performance of the saffron camp and PM Modi.

    Modi and Yogi hold the fort for BJPYogi Adityanath’s influence is strong in the region from Balrampur to Gorakhpur thanks to Hindutva politics. PM Modi’s presence in Varanasi helps the BJP in the adjoining districts. While Adityanath and Shah are reassuring the voters to take development and law and order to even higher notches, Modi is striking an emotional connect

  • Uttar Pradesh elections 2022: No cakewalk for BJP in temple town of Ayodhya

    Express News Service

    AYODHYA: In the first electoral battle after Supreme Court order settling the vexed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid issue, the temple town of Ayodhya seems to be evenly poised for a tough battle of ballots ahead. It will vote in phase-V on Sunday.

    The temple issue, which has been one of major poll planks of the saffron brigade for  decades, is not so any more in Ayodhya as the temple is now coming up following the court order. However, people attribute it to the BJP saying the party never left the issue.

    “I know the court order has paved way for temple construction but BJP shares our sentiments and Modiji laid the temple’s foundation. I don’t think any other PM would have done that personally,” says Mahesh Prasad Gupta, 52, a businessman.

    Iqbal Ansari, one of the litigants in the mandir-masjid dispute, feels the BJP should come again. “Rule of law is prevailing in Ayodhya. We are living amicably,” he says. Ayodhya Assembly segment is considered a BJP stronghold for it remained with the party since 1991, till the SP wrested it in the 2012 election.

    While the BJP has repeated its sitting MLA Ved Prakash Gupta, SP has given ticket to Brahmin face Tej Narain Pandey alias Pawan Pandey who had defeated BJP’s Lallu Singh in 2012. Pandey was defeated by Gupta in 2017. Though Gupta is facing some anti-incumbency, he seems to have an edge as people are set to vote in the names of Modi and Yogi.

    ALSO READ| BJP internal survey says tough fight in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls

    With no palpable anti-incumbency in the constituency, Samajwadi Party is banking upon the caste configuration of Ayodhya. SP’s core vote base here comprising Muslims and Yadavs together make a respectable 92,000 voters with Yadavs being 37,000 and Muslims 55,000.

    The party has strategically fielded a Brahmin eyeing some support from the community. “We are confident of support of all castes and win the seat,” says Vishnu Singh, an SP member.

    The development work undertaken by the incumbent government is the main plank of the BJP. “Whatever the BJP government did so far for Ayodhya, no government has ever done and no one will ever do,” says Dinesh Kumar Singh, a private school teacher. 

    Siddharth Rawat, dealing in edible oil, is not ready to acknowledge the development of Ayodhya. “Had BJP government done so much, Yogi would not have gone to Gorakhpur to contest election. He didn’t have the confidence of winning from Ayodhya,” reasons out Rawat.

    The issue of stray cattle is also being raised in debates. “Only this issue needs to be resolved as it is hitting the farmers, otherwise the government has done all-round development of Ayodhya,” says Abhishek Srivatava. Ram Autar Tiwari, a farmer, feels free ration is useless and farmers are helpless due to stray animals.

    Meanwhile, seers of Ayodhya stand in BJP’s support. “The construction of temple has forced politicians like BSP leader SC Mishra, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to rush here only to draw political gains,” says Mahant Raju Das, priest, Hanuman Garhi temple.

    If Abdul Gaffar feels SP would win majority of seats in and around Ayodhya, Razia, coming out of a PDS shop, acknowledges facilities given by the BJP government.

    Kalpana Mishra, a housewife and mother of two girls, feels safety of women is not at stake anymore. Suraiyya of Sunni Mohal locality begs to differ saying that law and order was equally good in SP regime.

    However, the pain of having sacrificed Babri Masjid still lingers on. “It will always be there till we are alive,” says Haji Yusuf Qureshi.

  • BJP only working for ‘big businesses’: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi

    By PTI

    RAEBARELI: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said BJP has forgotten it’s “raj dharma” of serving the common people and is only working for big businesses.

    She said this while addressing a rally in Jagatpur area of Raebareli asking people to watch out for those who use “religion and caste” to get votes.

    “BJP leaders have forgotten their religion of serving people. The religion for them has become a means to instigate people to get votes. The government is not following ‘raj dharma’ of serving people,” Priyanka said.

    Talking about inflation, she said the prices of gas cylinder and musterd oil have gone up.

    “You earn Rs 200 daily and a bottle of mustard oil is of Rs 240,” she said.

    She spoke of unemployment among youths and the plight of farmers in the state accusing the government of stoking religious sentiments to divert people’s attentions from these issues.

    The leader also alleged unnecessary expenditure by the centre overlooking the money it owed to the farmers.

    “The entire due amount of sugarcane farmers is Rs 14,000 crore but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has bought two aeroplanes worth Rs 16,000 crore for himself. He is visiting the world in them but not paying the dues of the farmers,” she said.

    “Congress government waived of loans of farmers but these days the loans of big businessmen are being waived,” the leader said.

    Priyanka alleged people are forced to pay electricity bill in every situation even if they don’t get electricity.

    “The three major schemes of BJP are a free cylinder, free ration, and some money you get in your banks.

    “Can the future of your children be strengthened only by free gas cylinder, free ration, and some money. The government must provide jobs and support businesses, something that’s not being done,” she said The Congress leader accused the government of callousness saying Modi didn’t bother to meet victims of Lakhimpur violence, and came up with an apology to protesting farmers only when the election were round the corner.

    “Prime minister visited so many countries in the past few years including Pakistan but has not gone to meet the protesting farmers. The Prime Minister came and apologised for the farm laws just before elections.

    “Why did they wait for a year to do it resulted in death of 700 farmers,” she said.

    Priyanka also attacked Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, saying she never saw him working for people in her three years of work in Uttar Pradesh.

    “I have been actively working in UP for the last three years but never saw Akhilesh Yadav leave his house. Just before elections he has come out in his bus to seek votes. In the last three years Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati were nowhere to be seen.”

  • BSP announces candidates on 47 seats for seventh phase of Uttar Pradesh polls

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: The BSP released a list of 47 candidates on Sunday for the seventh phase of the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

    The list includes candidates for the constituencies of Azamgarh, Mau, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Sonbhadra districts. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has attempted to strike a fine caste balance in its list of candidates.

    The Mayawati-led party has fielded its state president Bhim Rajbhar against mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who is presently lodged in the Banda jail, from Mau. Five-time MLA Ansari won the 2017 Assembly election from Mau on a BSP ticket.

    The BSP had won four seats in Azamgarh district five years ago but this time, it has re-nominated only Azad Arimardan from the Lalganj reserved seat.

    Sukhdev Rajbhar, who won from the Didarganj constituency in Azamgarh in 2017, died last year, while Shah Alam alias Guddu Jamali, who won from Mubarakpur, quit the party subsequently.

    Vandana Singh, who won the 2017 polls on a BSP ticket from Sagdi, is in the fray from the BJP this time.

    The BSP has fielded Shankar Yadav from Sagadi, Abdusalam from Mubarakpur and Bhupendra Singh alias Munna from Didarganj.

    In the Zahoorabad seat in Ghazipur district, the BSP has nominated former Uttar Pradesh minister (during the SP regime) Syeda Shadab Fatima against Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Omprakash Rajbhar.

    Fatima, who was in the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) of Shivpal Yadav, joined the BSP recently.

    In Varanasi’s Shivpur constituency, the BSP has nominated Ravi Maurya against state minister and BJP candidate Anil Rajbhar.

    Polling is scheduled to be held in 54 Assembly constituencies in nine districts of Uttar Pradesh in the seventh phase of the ongoing election on March 7.

  • Battle for UP: Bread & milk to remind voters to cast their votes

    By IANS

    KANPUR: The Kanpur administration has hit upon a novel idea to create awareness and encourage people to cast their vote when the district goes to polls on February 20.

    Citizens in Kanpur will receive a message “Kanpur Votes On 20 Feb” when they will purchase milk packets and bread packets from next week.

    It is the brainchild of district magistrate Neha Sharma who convened a meeting with bread manufacturers and milk and processed milk companies and put up her proposal.

    The proposal was very well supported by the GST and food & safety department and the manufacturers and bakers have assured that around 2.5 lakhs houses of the city would get a message for one week about the voting.

    The district magistrate has sought active cooperation from the representatives in this campaign. The idea was to encourage more and more voters to cast their votes.

    The representatives from various government departments and bread and milk manufacturers will target 2.5 lakhs families per day to create awareness among them.

    Meanwhile, to ensure a hundred per cent voting the district administration flew a voters awareness air balloon at Kargil park in Moti Jheel on Saturday.

  • Uttar Pradesh elections: Rampur’s fierce battle centres around Samajwadi Party’s Azam Khan

    Express News Service

    RAMPUR (UTTAR PRADESH): One of the most keenly anticipated contests in Uttar Pradesh is taking place in the Muslim-dominated seat of Rampur, where jailed Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan is up against Congress’ Kazim Ali Khan and BJP’s Akash Saxena.

    What lends an edge to this contest is how Kazim and Saxena are trying to corner the nine-time MLA, and arguably the tallest Muslim leader in the state, Azam Khan. In fact, as one travels around Rampur, it can be seen that all poll-related conversations are polarised around just one subject – Azam Khan.

    ALSO READ| Uttar Pradesh polls: ‘Ghar ka ladka’ Akhilesh Yadav takes on Union minister SPS Baghel in Karhal

    Against him pitted is his old rival Kazim Ali Khan, son of the last Nawab of Rampur, whose parents won the Rampur Lok Sabha seat seven times on Congress ticket. The other contender, Saxena, also has a history with Azam, as his father, former BJP minister Shiv Bahadur Saxena, lost the Assembly polls from this seat to Azam Khan way back in 1989. Saxena, a lawyer, is responsible for more than half of the cases filed against the SP leader.

    During his poll campaign 46-year-old Saxena boasts about filing 30 of the over 100 FIRs against the SP veteran while Kazim claims he is the one who is to be credited for exposing Azam. “Saxena may have followed up on a few cases but people of Rampur know that I am the one who filed the very first complaint and exposed the many frauds and crimes of Azam Khan and his family,” Kazim says.

    He adds that Azam Khan’s “so-called development was only for himself”. 

    According to retired government employee Ramesh Pandey, this election is about development and good law-and-order brought about by Yogi Adityanath versus Azam Khan’s work in Rampur. “It is true that Azam Khan brought unparalleled development to Rampur but we have to think holistically this time,” Pandey says.

    CLICK HERE FOR COVERAGE ON UTTAR PRADESH ELECTIONS

    Panwesi Lal, who works at a shoe shop, has a different view. “Rampur is way ahead in development compared to other places in UP so, Azam Khan has to be brought to power again,” he said.

    Lal’s co-worker Ashok Kumar agrees but says Azam Khan’s absence from campaigning has made things difficult for the SP leader, so much so that he could lose his seat for the very first time.

    Lal doesn’t let Kumar finish his argument and points to the e-rickshaw going past saying, “Doesn’t matter that Azam Khan is in jail but people like those who got jobs through e-rickshaws are there to vouch for him.”

    Many in Rampur agreed with Lal’s view. Fahim Khan, a lawyer in the city, said, “Azam Khan’s absence will only bring more votes for Khan as his work is there for everyone to see.”

  • Uttar Pradesh polls: PM Narendra Modi seeks vote for peace for all, security of women in Saharanpur

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Commencing his poll campaign by addressing first physical rally in Saharanpur, the western tip of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon the voters to support riot-free and peaceful state, criminals behind the bars and security for women.

    The Prime Minister addressed his rally while the first phase of voting was on over 58 seats across 11 western UP districts including those adjoining Saharanpur like Shamli and Muzaffarnagar. In all, the fate of 623 candidates was at stake in the first phase of voting on Thursday.  

    However, Saharanpur will go to polls in the second phase on February 14 when voting would be held on 55 seats across nine districts of western UP.

    Reaching out to other half of the population, the PM stressed that the BJP government was essential for Uttar Pradesh to maintain a secured atmosphere for the women to grow without fear. Claiming that BJP wanted the women to contribute to nation-building, he said that all the sectors were being opened for them. He also raised the issue of triple talaq in Saharanpur where Muslims make around 42 per cent of the population.

    Amid the raging row over hijab in BJP ruled Karnataka, the PM pitched in favour of Muslim women saying the BJP government freed them from the clutches of atrocities in the name of triple talaq by bringing a law against the practice. 

    “When Muslim women started openly supporting Modi government, opponents and self-acclaimed saviors of religion got anxious and started suppressing the voice of Muslim women. But we stand with every Muslim woman,” PM Modi said.

    The PM launched an attack on SP-RLD alliance leaders Akhilesh Yadav and Jayant Chaudhury respectively over the alleged arrogance and compared them with the SP-Congress alliance in 2017 reminding people of its fate then.

    The PM harped on Muzaffarnagar riot rhetoric of the BJP and reminded people of Saharanpur Muslim-Sikh riots of 2014  urging them to vote for peace and security which, he claimed, would take the state on path of development. The PM repeated the ‘pariwarwadi’ (dynastic politics) jibe on SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. 

    “Those who are limited to safeguard the interest of their family will not go beyond it again if given a chance,” said Modi.

    He cited the example of how round-the-clock power supply and infrastructural development were limited to a few native districts of those who were at helm in previous government.

    “Had they been in power during the pandemic, the vaccines would have been sold off somewhere on the way and would not have reached you,” he added. PM claimed that big promises made were usually empty. They [previous governments] promised electricity but kept UP in dark,” he maintained. 

    “What is the harm in making promises as they know that they would not come to power so the question of fulfillment does not arise,” quipped the PM while taking a jibe of opposition for offering freebies.

    Reiterating the BJP tagline of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, the PM claimed that the benefits of the welfare schemes were extended to all sections of society equally in the BJP rule. He reached out to the farmers especially the cane growers promising them that their interests would be taken care of in future as well.

    He claimed that the BJP government was necessary for UP to ensure the poor continue to get houses and free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh at good hospitals.

    “For money to continue to reach farmers’ accounts directly, BJP government is necessary in UP. For the poor to get ration during the pandemic, BJP is necessary,” he said.

    The BJP’s manifesto for UP polls was one of public welfare and that the double engine government had done a lot in the state, said the PM cautioning the people against voting for those who were eyeing an opportunity to take revenge of the action taken on criminals whom they were patronizing.

  • Don’t believe in opinion polls: BSP supremo Mayawati to voters

    By PTI

    BAREILLY: BSP supremo Mayawati on Monday took a swipe at the opinion polls conducted by the electronic media and asked voters not to take them seriously.

    Addressing an election meeting here, the BSP chief cited the opinion polls done in the 2007 Assembly elections, in which her party was shown at the third spot, but it won and formed its government.

    “When the Assembly elections were held in UP in 2007, the opinion polls were telling that the BSP would remain at No.3 but the BSP came at No.1. The party, which was being shown at No.1 was pushed to No.3. Don’t believe in opinion polls,” the BSP supremo said.

    Attacking her political opponents, she said the Congress has not done any work for the Dalits and poor.

    “The Congress has always been anti-Dalits,” she said.

    On the Samajwadi Party, she said, “The goons and the mafia dominated the scene during the SP government. It was a government of riots and loot.”

    She also accused the BJP of being casteist and spreading hatred on the basis of religion.

    “The policies of the BJP and the RSS are casteist, and spread tension and hatred in the name of religion,” she said.

    She said crime has increased during the BJP government while the Dalit and backward classes have been unable to get the benefit of reservation.

  • AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi declares ex-Uttar Pradesh Minister Babu Singh Kushwaha as his front’s CM face

    By PTI

    AMROHA: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday declared former state minister Babu Singh Kushwaha as the chief ministerial candidate of his party’s pre-poll alliance “Bhagidari Parivartan Morcha”.

    The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief made the announcement while also launching a scathing attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in an election rally in Hasanpur here.

    “If the Bhagidari Parivartan Morcha forms its government in UP, Babu Singh Kushwaha will be its first chief minister,” said Owaisi, who had earlier said that if his pre-poll alliance is voted to power, he will have two chief ministers in UP.

    Owaisi, however, had not explained under what provision of the Constitution, he would have two chief ministers in a single state.

    In his Hassanpur rally, he also promised to have three deputy CMs for the state.

    “We have also decided that there will be three deputy chief ministers in UP of which one will be a Muslim and two others from the most backward section of the society,” he added.

    For the UP assembly elections, the AIMIM had forged a pre-poll alliance ‘Bhagidari Parivartan Morcha’ on January 22 along with Kushwaha’s Jan Adhikar Party and the Backward and Minority Community Employees Federation, headed by Waman Meshram.

    A minister in the Mayawati government, Kushwaha had been made convener of the Morcha.

    Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he asserted that he has the courage of speaking with Modi while looking in his eyes.

    “If the BJP is doing something wrong, I will raise my voice against it. This country was liberated by our ancestors. We got this country free with our blood. This country is mine and everyone else’s,” he asserted.

    “But today when the BJP talks about changing the secular character of this country, Owaisi will look into the eyes of Modi and speak and he will continue to do so,” he said.

    The Hyderabad MP also attacked UP Chief Minister Adityanath, calling him “Baba” and saying that he has only one solution to all problems: Defeat Mughals.

    “If anyone thinks my voice will be suppressed for speaking against the UP chief minister, remember that as long as I am alive, I will keep speaking the truth. Your power will not suppress me,” said Owaisi.

    Accusing the Adityanath government of inaction, he said, “Baba’s government was there for five years but Baba did nothing. If you talk about your problems with Baba, Baba will just say, ‘O young man, you vote for us, we have to defeat the Mughals.”

    “And the SP-BSP will say that you vote for us and defeat the BJP,” he said, adding: “They say the BJP wins only because of the Majlis entering into the electoral fray.”

    Owaisi also took digs at the chief minister’s various other purported remarks during the ongoing electioneering.

    “Yogi Adityanath says he will create cold in May-June. Chief Minister, you should become a meteorologist. You (Yogi) say that you will remove the heat (garmi nikal denge), Are you a doctor of dysentery, is Baba selling Isabgol?” he asked.

    “Listen to our message, Baba. The heat that Majlis has created in youths, will neither be reduced by your heat nor your cold. The heat we have created is on the foundation of truth, on the basis of reality to get respect and to gain our share. Even if I die, these people will go ahead with our message,” he asserted.

    “I want freedom from radical forces. I want freedom from those parties who are fielding RSS candidates and are telling me that you do slavery. I want brotherhood so we have formed the morcha,” the AIMIM chief said in his rally.