Year ender 2016: Biggest political developments in India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh

New Delhi: The legislative assembly election will be held in Uttar Pradesh in 2017 for the 403 seats of the Vidhan Sabha. The dates of the polls are yet to be announced. In 2012, in the previous election, the Samajwadi Party (SP) won a majority and formed government in the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav. However, the year 2016 saw a lot of ups and downs in the political corridors of the most populous state of the country. Here are the biggest political developments that 2016 witnessed. Have a look: EC updated electoral rolls: In January, the Election Commission (EC) of India published updated electoral rolls in all 403 assembly segments. Subsequently, EC decided to increase the number of polling booths.As per EC, new polling centres will be planned in the constituencies having more than 1,500 registered voters. In March, SP released its first candidate list: In March, SP released its first candidate list of 142 contestants for Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2017. The list included two MLAs of Peace Party and an Independent, the party replaced 85 candidates who had contested the elections in 2012. Last cabinet expansion: In June, Akhilesh Yadav government undertook the seventh and last cabinet expansion. Governor Ram Naik administered oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at Raj Bhawan on June 27. Sheila as CM candidate for Congress: In July, Congress declared Sheila Dikshit as its CM candidate for 2017 elections. Senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who held a press conference to make the announcement for the same said that Sheila was chosen for her experience. Courtesy: PTI/File [ALSO READ] EXCLUSIVE: Arvind Kejriwal doing everything except governing Delhi, in UP we are all alone for now, says Sheila Dikshit Mega rallies of Mayawati: From August 2016, BSP held series of ‘Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay’ rallies starting from Agra, followed by Mega rallies in Azamgarh Saharanpur and Allahabad. In these, she  attacked misrule and Gundaraj of Samajwadi Party, Communal politics and Unfulfilled promises of achhe din by BJP and also ugly politics of Congress. In October, for tenth Parinirvana divas of BSP founder Kanshi Ram at Manyawar Shri Kanshiram Ji Green Eco Garden, a massive crowd gathered from all over the State. Joshi joined BJP: In October, veteran leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi joined BJP. The move may impact Congress outreach to the powerful Brahmin community of UP. Ms Joshi resigned from her party and joined the BJP  in the presence of party president Amit Shah. Her brother, ex-Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, is already in the BJP. Family feud of SP: In October, the family feud in Samajwadi Party came out in open. The CM Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav appeared in conflict with each other. Recently, in a surprising move, the chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has reportedly submitted his own list of 403 probable candidates for the upcoming state polls. Image: File Photo (PTI) [ALSO READ] EXCLUSIVE: Family fight will negatively affect party, positively Akhilesh: MP Rewati Raman Singh Keshav Prasad Maurya on Rama Temple: In October, BJP president of the UP Keshav Prasad Maurya, in an exclusive interview to ABP Live said-"We want Rama temple to be built as soon as possible". He also added that-"Ram temple is an issue of faith, it is not an election issue. Development, good governance, corruption, nepotism are the issues of the state election." [ALSO READ] UP election EXCLUSIVE: We want Rama temple to be built as soon as possible, says Keshav Prasad Maurya Vikas Rath Yatra of Akhilesh: In November, CM of UP Akhilesh Yadav took 'Vikas Rath Yatra'. SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav flagged of his son, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s rath yatra with Shivpal Yadav in tow, seeking to project a united face after a bitter public power struggle that threatened to derail the party’s Assembly poll campaign. Image: File/PTI Pay Commission move of SP: In December, the state government decided to implement recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission. In a New Year bonanza for state government employees ahead of UP Assembly election, Uttar Pradesh government decided to implement recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission. The decision is likely to benefit 16 lakh state government employees and six lakh pensioners. “Wetan samiti ka faisla liya hai. Aaney waley samay mey lakhon karmchairyon ko laabh hoga. Issey kai crore ka bhaar aayega (We have taken decision of pay committee recommendations. It will benefit lakhs of government employees. It will put additional burden of crores of rupees on the state exchequer,” Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said. SP declared new candidates for Assembly seats: In December, Samajwadi Party declared new candidates for seven Assembly seats for the 2017 polls.  With Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections around the corner, Samajwadi Party state president Shivpal Yadav declared new candidates for seven Assembly seats for the 2017 polls. While from Amapur seat Rahul Pandey has been given ticket in place of Virendra Solanki, Subhash Pal has been replaced by Anis Mansoori from Bilgram Mallawan seat, a party release issued here said. [ALSO READ] Assembly election: 4 major political parties at loggerheads for ultimate supremacy in battleground UP