Election 2022 HIGHLIGHTS | PM's Only Agenda Is To Divide People On Communal Lines For Electoral Gains: Yechury
Assembly Election 2022 HIGHLIGHTS: Follow this space to get all the latest news on electioneering and campaigning for Uttar Pradesh and Manipur assemblies.
Bahraich (ANI): Ahead of the fifth phase of polling for Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday took a dig at the Samajwadi Party alleging that the party propagates riots. "Decide what kind of government you want, one that propagates riots or the one that frees you from them and works for the welfare of poor people", said Adityanath while addressing a rally in Barabanki.
Adityanath promised free electricity for the farmers and scooty for girls after the BJP returns to power in the state. "We will give free scooty to girls and free electricity to farmers. We will get express highways and colleges constructed," he added.
Attacking the previous Samajwadi Party on electricity supply, the Chief Minister said, "Uninterrupted power supply to every household with the establishment of power sub-station in Ramnagar area of Barabanki at a cost of Rs 63.87 crores. Parivarvaadis (Samajwadi Party) used to discriminate during government, but the BJP government has ensured equal power supply in every district."
He said that the BJP government has implemented projects related to the construction of bridges and roads while taking flood protection measures at an amount of Rs 36.22 crore in the Ramnagar area of Barabanki.
"In the Ramnagar area of Barabanki, projects related to bridge construction, road construction and flood protection have been implemented at an amount of Rs 36.22 crores. The previous governments used to turn a blind eye to the problems of the people, but the BJP government has implemented them by making plans accordingly," added the UP CM.
The Uttar Pradesh CM while addressing another rally in Bahraich, stated that the BJP government, extracted money from the mafias and it is now being utilized for welfare schemes in the state. "We have made highways, medical colleges and expressways. The money extracted from mafias are being used for welfare schemes in the state," he added.
Adityanath said that amount given to girls under Mukhayamantri Kanya Sumangla Yojana would be increased Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 while the among given for the marriage would be increased from Rs 51,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
"Under Mukhayamantri Kanya Sumangla Yojana Rs 15,000 is now being given to daughters which will be increased to Rs 25,000 while the amount given for their marriages will be increased from Rs 51,000 to Rs 1 lakh," the CM said in Bahraich. The fifth phase of voting in Uttar Pradesh will take place on February 27 when 60 assembly constituencies will go to the polls.
Agartala, Feb 24 (PTI) CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury Thursday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for dividing people on communal lines for electoral gains, asserting that the only way to save the country was to oust the BJP-led government from the Centre.
Yechury also said that democracy and democratic rights of people are at stake under the central regime, and minority communities, dalits and women were facing oppression.
Modiji has no time to speak about the problems of the common people. But, there is no dearth of resources to create jobs for the youth. The PM's only agenda is to divide people on communal lines and reap the electoral harvest, the senior CPI(M) leader said at a rally here.
If we want to save the country, we have to oust the Narendra Modi government from Delhi. There is no alternative way to protect people's rights and liberty, he said.
Yechury said the BJP will taste defeat in the assembly elections in five states, including Uttar Pradesh despite its high-octane campaigning.
Now, Modji is extensively touring Uttar Pradesh by flights and vehicles at the cost of public money. In the elections in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Kerala, the BJP had to bite the dust, and this time too, it will witness a similar consequence, he said.
Hitting out at the union government, Yechury said it has been weakening autonomous constitutional bodies, including the Election Commission.
He alleged that the poll panel took no action on BJP leaders for their "inflammatory" speeches ahead of the UP polls.
Despite spewing venom by leaders of the ruling party in the run up to Uttar Pradesh election campaign, no notice has been issued to any leader by the EC so far, Yechury said.
Bahraich (UP), Feb 24 (PTI) Praising the Yogi Adityanath government's work on the law and order front in Uttar Pradesh, Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah on Thursday said no "baahubali" can be seen now even using a telescope and that it is only "Bajrangbali" everywhere.
Addressing an election rally here, Shah also targeted the Samajwadi Party and said its chief Akhilesh Yadav cannot see the improvement in law and order as he is wearing "dark glasses".
He said the BJP had promised to improve law and order in the 2017 election campaign and Adityanath, after becoming the chief minister, eradicated mafia elements.
"Yogiji has run the government in a manner that no 'baahubali' can be seen even through the telescope, only Bajrangbali is seen everywhere," Shah said.
He asked the rally where is Azam Khan, Atiq Ansari and Mukhtar Ansari today, with the crowd responding "in jail".
"If you make a mistake and bring 'cycle' (SP's symbol), will they remain in jail? They will come out and trouble all. If you have to keep them in jail and keep the state free of 'baahubalis' for five more years then only BJP and Yogi Adityanath can do this," he told the rally.
He said Akhilesh Yadav had asked what change has been made on the law and order front, but those who wear dark glasses see everything black. "These are samajwadis only in name, they cannot see anything other than their family. When Akhilesh got a chance, 45 people of his family were occupying different posts," he added.
Listing various development and welfare schemes of the state and central governments, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has secured the nation by sending a clear message to the world that no evil eye can be cast on it.
Every single vote for the BJP candidate will strengthen the hands of Modi-ji and make Adityanath the chief minister again for ensuring the welfare of the poor and farmers and the safety of women, Shah added.
"I have come after campaigning in four phases of polling and SP, BSP have been wiped out. The foundation for the BJP's win in 300-plus seats has been laid in these phases and now the polling on the fifth phase has to install a strong building on this foundation," he said.
Polling in the district is slated for the fifth phase on February 27.
"Vote bank politics & 'parivaarvadi', done by many political parties, has run the nation into a loss. These leaders don't hesitate even if this politics goes against the benefit of nation. They insult our Army & police forces, as then their vote bank flourishes," PM Modi says in Amethi rally.
"Yogiji has run the administration in a way that we cannot see even one 'Bahubali' (strongman goons), now there's only 'Bajrangbali' everywhere": Union Home Minister Amit Shah said at a rally in Bahraich, as quoted by ANI.
Lucknow, Feb 24 (PTI) Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the focus on caste and religion in Uttar Pradesh politics has made politicians complacent, making them sideline the real issues.
Gandhi accepted that the Congress organisation had weakened in the state over the past few decades but the party has worked hard now to rebuild it and reconnect with the public.
On a question related to the dominance of caste and religion in Uttar Pradesh since 1989, Gandhi told PTI, It is correct that UP's politics has become about caste and religion, but the fact is that this kind of politics has contributed nothing to the progress of the state. It has not only pushed the state back but has enabled the political class to become complacent.
The average politician of UP believes that he will get votes on the basis of religion and caste anyway so what need does he have to perform on other counts? He can sideline the real issues of the public with ease. This is a very unhealthy development in a democracy, she said.
It effectively means that development, governance and economics take a back seat as emotions linked to caste and religion drive politics, Gandhi said in written answers to questions sent to her.
We are the only party that has offered a well thought out plan for women, youth and indeed for every aspect of UP's social and political upliftment and presented it in our manifestos. We believe that politicians must be held accountable for governance and development and are spreading this message across the state, she said.
Asked how strong the Congress cadre in Uttar Pradesh is as the party has not been in power for the last 33 years, Gandhi said, Our organisation in UP had been progressively weakened over the last few decades. For a number of elections due to alliances, we did not even put up candidates in as many as two to three hundred seats.
What I faced when I first came here was almost a complete erosion of our cadre although some old congressmen and women were still standing strong despite this, she added,
However, fielding candidates on 400 seats for the ongoing Uttar Pradesh elections will throw up new leadership and strengthen the Congress, she asserted.
We have worked very hard to rebuild our party. We changed the nature of the programmes so that they re-connected our cadres with the public and no longer remained party-centric alone. We trained over 100,000 workers and have built the organisation up to the Nyay panchayat and gram level across the state, she said.
Elaborating on the steps taken by her to rebuild the party, Gandhi said, We made sure that whenever the public faced problems in the last few years, our party workers were the first to respond and fight for their rights, yet we have a long way to go in terms of organisational strength on the ground.
Development is at the top of our political agenda. We are appealing to women and young people to replace the politics of caste and religion with a politics that responds to the needs of the public, she said.
On Congress' allegations that the BJP is diverting from core development issues and focusing only on terrorism and mafias, she said, I see it as a great shame that people are facing such immense problems, they are unable to make ends meet, they are struggling on a daily basis and yet, this is what BJP leaders are spending their time doing.
What is polarisation after all? It is a blatant political tool that allows political parties to underperform on every front, she said.
The Congress leader also vowed to continue to fight for the rights of the people of Uttar Pradesh irrespective of the election results.
I will be right here working for the people of UP and fighting for them regardless of what the results in this election will be. I know my responsibility towards them and I feel it deeply in my heart, she said.
UP has so much potential, so much skill and capability and its people are being cheated of their dues over and over again. They truly deserve a politics that puts their needs and aspirations first. I will work very hard to make this possible, the Congress leader added.
Prayagraj: Congress leader Harish Rawat on Wednesday said that he will offer land to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Uttarakhand to build a house after he loses the Assembly elections in the state.
Talking to the mediapersons in Prayagraj, he said, "The BJP had been chased away from Uttarakhand. We will offer land to CM Yogi (after he loses elections in UP) to build a 'Kotiya' (cottage) in Uttarakhand."
"In 1980, people used to say that Congress is not standing anywhere. But when the slogan 'Indira Lao Desh Bachao rang, it echoed in all villages. And Congress came back to power and today 'Priyanka Laayo' slogan is also on the lips of everyone in Uttar Pradesh and Congress will come back," he added.
Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh are being held in seven phases and will conclude on March 7. Poling for the fourth phase took place on Wednesday. Voting for the remaining three phases will take place on February 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
With the conclusion of the fourth phase assembly polls, the parties have now shifted focus on the fifth phase. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be holding rallies in Amethi and Prayagraj today.
Background
Assembly Election 2022 HIGHLIGHTS: Hello and welcome to ABP Live blog to find all the latest news from the polling battlegrounds of Uttar Pradesh and Manipur.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold rallies in Amethi and Prayagraj ahead of fifth phase of polling for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. Home Minister Amit Shah will address public meetings in Bahraich on Thursday.
Polling for fourth phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections concluded on Wednesday. Around 60 per cent polling was recorded in 59 Assembly constituencies during the fourth phase.
READ | Seasonal Politicians Active During Polls Will Go On Vacation After March 10, Says PM Modi
In 2017, 62.55 per cent polling was reported across these seats while in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls it was 60.03 per cent.
According to the Election Commission's voter turnout app, Pilibhit recorded 67.59 per cent polling, Lakhimpur Kheri 65.54 per cent, Sitapur 58.39 per cent, Hardoi 58.99 per cent, Unnao 57.73 per cent, Lucknow 55.92 per cent, Rae Bareli 61.90 per cent, Banda 57.54 per cent and Fatehpur 60.07 per cent.
While poll panel officials claimed that voting was largely peaceful, the Samajwadi Party has alleged certain irregularities in some areas of Lucknow, Unnao, Hardoi and Sitapur, PTI reported.
With the completion of the fourth round of polling, 231 Assembly constituencies out of 403 in the state have been covered.
Three more phases of the polling are remaining in the state, which will take place on February 27, March 3 and March 7. Votes will be counted on March 10.
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