Latest SP News | Top SP News Headlines Today | Today India news | Breaking SP News Today | English SP News Headlines - TheDailyGuardian

Sambhal: SP, DM Pray At Newly Uncovered Shiv-Hanuman Temple | Watch

December 15, 2024, 6:26 pm

Sambhal’s Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishan Kumar and District Magistrate (DM) Rajender Pensiya offered prayers at the newly uncovered Shiv-Hanuman Temple in the district on Sunday. The temple, which had been concealed under encroachments for years, was rediscovered during an anti-encroachment drive aimed at removing illegal structures.

#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: Sambhal SP Krishan Kumar and DM Dr Rajender Pensiya offer prayers at the Shiv-Hanuman Temple which was discovered in Sambhal during an anti-encroachment drive carried out by district police and administration, yesterday. pic.twitter.com/UMxZZVhP4n

— ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2024

Earlier in the day, amid rising tensions, the regional administration initiated an anti-encroachment operation to clear public spaces of unauthorized constructions. According to Sambhal SDM Vandana Mishra, the drive specifically targets public area encroachments and has been actively carried out in Chandauli for the past two months.

“The anti-encroachment drive is focused on clearing encroachments from public spaces. A similar drive has been running in Chandauli for the last two months. Additionally, a campaign against electricity theft is underway in Sambhal,” she said.

Must Read: Did Jyotirlinga Appear Overnight? UP CM Yogi Adityanath Questions 46-Year Closure of Sambhal Temple, Calls for Justice

On Saturday morning, an anti-encroachment operation was conducted in the Shahi Jama Masjid area. DM Pensiya spoke to ANI, stating, “In the morning, we checked whether loudspeakers were contributing to unnecessary noise pollution. During the inspection, widespread electricity theft was discovered. Around 15 to 20 houses and religious places were found to be involved. At a mosque, we found 59 fans, a fridge, a washing machine, and approximately 25 to 30 light points, all with the meter switched off. An intensive checking campaign is ongoing.”

Meanwhile, the Shiv-Hanuman Temple in Sambhal, which had been closed since 1978, was reopened on Sunday. The temple premises were cleaned, and electricity connections were restored. CCTV cameras were also installed for security. Vishnu Sharan Rastogi, patron of the Nagar Hindu Sabha, confirmed that the temple had reopened after 46 years, explaining that it had remained closed due to the lack of a resident priest.

Sambhal Circle Officer (SO) Anuj Kumar Chaudhary, who was part of the inspection team, said, “We received information about encroachment in the area. Upon inspection, we discovered the temple.”

Police personnel have been stationed outside the Shiv-Hanuman Temple, which reopened after 46 years, and an aarti was performed earlier that morning.

Also Read: Sambhal’s Historic Temple Reopens, Morning Aarti Performed Today

UP Dy CM Brajesh Pathak Slams Akhilesh Yadav Over ‘Fake Encounter’ Allegations

September 12, 2024, 7:28 pm

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak strongly criticized Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday following allegations that the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has turned the state into a ‘capital of fake encounters.’

Yadav had accused the BJP administration of targeting individuals from Pichhda, Dalit, and Alpasankhyak (PDA) communities in alleged fake encounters. “In Uttar Pradesh, fingers have been raised on many encounters…The government has targeted most people of PDA families in the many encounters,” Yadav had said.

Pathak responded by defending the state’s law and order situation, asserting that since the BJP took office in 2017, there has been significant improvement. He emphasized that the government’s primary role is to combat crime. “The general public is living in a fair and fear-free environment,” Pathak said.

Addressing the recent encounter in Sultanpur, Pathak stated that the opposition’s portrayal of criminals involved in the incident as victims was misleading. He clarified that the police had either killed or arrested the criminals involved. “In the Sultanpur robbery incident, the police arrested the criminals, and one was killed in an encounter. Over two and a half kilograms of gold were recovered from them,” he added.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also weighed in on the issue, criticizing the BJP government for its handling of encounters. Gandhi alleged that the government’s approach undermines the rule of law and likened the Special Task Force (STF) operations to ‘criminal gangs.’ He questioned why no action has been taken against officers involved in controversial encounters.

The clash over the handling of encounters underscores the growing political tension as parties prepare for upcoming elections.

SURVEY ON SP CHIEF’S BULLDOZER REMARK

September 5, 2024, 2:12 am

60% of people think Akhilesh will suffer from his bulldozer statement in Gorakhpur

The debate over the use of bulldozers intensified with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav taking a jibe at chief minister Yogi Adityanath, saying that the “bulldozer doesn’t have brains, but has a steering, and people might change the steering at any time.”
The war of words began on Tuesday evening when Yadav said that “all the bulldozers will be steered towards Gorakhpur (the hometown of Adityanath) once the SP government is formed in the state.” Adityanath retorted by saying, “Those who were involved in loot before 2017 are daydreaming today.

Here’s the Survey:

India News Survey Date: 4 September 2024 Male	94%
Survey name: SP Chief Bulldozer Remark Female	6%

Q-1 What does Akhilesh Yadav’s statement about the bulldozer turning towards Gorakhpur in 2027 mean?

A – Criticism of Administrative Actions	29%
B – Targeting Chief Minister Yogi	34%
C – Appeasing a Specific Community	31%
D – Can’t Say	6%

Q-2 Will Akhilesh benefit or suffer from his bulldozer statement in Gorakhpur?

A – Benefit	35%
B – Suffer	60%
C – Can’t Say	5%

Q-3 Is the bulldozer action only an attempt to target the opposition?

A – Yes	48%
B – No	50%
C – Can’t Say	2%

Q-4 What is your opinion on the continuous bulldozer actions in Uttar Pradesh?

A – Right Decision	68%
B – Wrong Decision	29%
C – Can’t Say	3%

BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi Questions If Advocating For Women’s Rights Is ‘Dirty Politics’ Following Akhilesh Yadav’s Remarks

August 18, 2024, 5:27 pm

In response to comments made by Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi questioned whether advocating for women’s rights is considered dirty politics.

Commenting on the SP chief’s remarks about the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, Sarangi said , “Is standing up for women’s rights dirty politics? Considering the brutality of what happened there and the ongoing incidents in Bengal, if BJP workers are standing with the women and condemning this incident, is that considered politics?”

She further highlighted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) practices positive politics, asserting that they “advocate for the rights of the poor, the exploited, the deprived, the oppressed women, and the youth.”

Earlier on Saturday, SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav criticised the BJP for allegedly using the rape and murder incident at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital for political advantage. He opposed BJP’s calls for Mamata Banerjee’s resignation, arguing that as a woman, Banerjee comprehends the suffering of other women and has acted appropriately. Yadav also pointed out that the West Bengal government had chosen to have the case investigated by the CBI or another institution.

“Mamata Banerjee herself is a woman and understands the pain of a woman. She has taken action as needed. The government has also decided to have the matter investigated by the CBI or another institution. But alongside this, the people of the Bharatiya Janata Party should not politicise the incident, the BJP should not derive political advantage from it,” Yadav said.

On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was reportedly raped and murdered while on duty at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, triggering nationwide strikes and protests by the medical community. On August 14, a mob vandalised the protest site and the hospital campus at RG Kar, leading security personnel to break up the crowd.

Doctor Rape-Murder: SP’s Ghanshyam Tiwari Shows Confidence in CM Mamata’s Governance

August 16, 2024, 5:25 pm

Samajwadi Party leader Ghanshyam Tiwari on Friday condemned the recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, expressing confidence that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will deliver justice. Tiwari criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stating they cannot be trusted on the issue.

“It is up to Mamata Banerjee to deliver justice. She can be trusted, unlike the PM and the BJP. The victim’s family deserves justice, and the culprits must face stringent punishment. It is Mamata’s responsibility to prevent such incidents from recurring, as the people of Bengal trust her. The vandalism that occurred must also be condemned and thoroughly investigated as it involves public property funded by taxpayers,” said Tiwari.

Earlier, on Thursday, CM Mamata Banerjee accused BJP supporters of inciting violence at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the incident occurred. She claimed that those who vandalized the hospital were not connected to the student movement but were outsiders, some holding BJP flags and others from the DYFI.

“The people who vandalized RG Kar Hospital and caused chaos are not related to the student movement at RG Kar Medical College. They are outsiders. I have reviewed several videos, and in three of them, people holding BJP flags were clearly visible,” Banerjee stated.

The vandalism occurred on Wednesday night when a mob entered the RG Kar Hospital campus, damaging the protest site, vehicles, and public property. Security officials had to intervene to disperse the crowd. Banerjee praised the police for their restraint despite being attacked, with several officers sustaining injuries.

“Yesterday, police were attacked, including a Deputy Commissioner and two Officer-in-Charges. They were found unconscious with severe head injuries. Despite this, the police showed restraint and did not harm anyone,” Banerjee said.

The Chief Minister also noted that the investigation into the rape-murder case is now being handled by the CBI. “The case is no longer under our jurisdiction. If you have concerns, address them to the CBI,” she added.

Banerjee strongly condemned the crime, demanding the death penalty for the accused. “This is a heinous crime, and the only appropriate punishment is the death penalty. If the culprit is hanged, it will set an example, but no innocent person should be wrongly punished,” she stated.

The incident took place on August 9, when a post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The victim’s family alleges that she was raped and murdered. The incident has sparked nationwide protests by doctors and medical professionals demanding justice.

India News Manch 2024: BJP, Congress, SP Leaders Clash On Corruption And Governance

July 29, 2024, 12:03 pm

ITV Network is hosting a ‘Manch’ today, Monday (July 29), to address the nation’s most pressing issues. The event, taking place at Le Meridien Hotel in Connaught Place, New Delhi, began at 10 am and will continue throughout the day.

During “Corruption Ki Aar Paar,” Congress MP Udit Raj sharply criticized the government, accusing the BJP of enacting laws like the Electoral Bond law to conceal corruption. He claimed, “No parliament has made a law against theft like BJP brought the Electoral Bond law.” Raj further alleged, “BJP’s corruption is clearly visible,” and labeled the party as a “washing machine of corruption,” asserting, “BJP patronizes the corrupt” and “likes corruption for power.” He also accused the BJP of providing a safe haven for corrupt individuals, including Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel, and predicted a backlash in the 2024 elections due to the corruption.

SP spokesperson Anurag Bhadoria launched a vigorous attack on the BJP, alleging that the party has failed to meet its promises to women, farmers, and students. He criticized PM Modi for remaining silent about the issues faced by the daughters of wrestlers and accused the BJP of only addressing problems after they arise. Bhadoria remarked, “BJP has forgotten all the promises it made” and accused the government of failing the youth and women while favoring the corrupt. He also questioned why the ED does not target the BJP and suggested the agency overlooks the ruling party’s misdeeds.

In response, BJP spokesperson Ajay Alok defended his party, asserting that the public has spoken through their votes and that the BJP has won electoral victories. He stated, “The public has given an answer to everyone in the elections,” and highlighted that the ED and CBI have seized Rs 1.84 lakh crore over the past seven years. Alok challenged Congress and SP on corruption issues, claiming that Congress is “the mother of corruption” and labeling both Congress and SP as parties of scams. He concluded that the Modi government is focused on development, not destruction, and asserted that “the corrupt are going to jail” under his administration.

Congress, SP alliance to remain for bye-polls on 10 seats in UP, talks on

July 18, 2024, 11:12 pm

The Congress is all set to continue its alliance in Uttar Pradesh with Samajwadi Party for the bye polls on 10 assembly seats in the state, to keep the momentum going in favour of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc.

According to party leaders, the Congress will contest the bye-polls for 10 assembly seats, for which the dates will be announced in the coming days.
The party leader said that the Alliance between rhe two parties is still intact in the political crucial state, as it sends 80 MPs to Paiament in the Lok Sabha.

A party source, however, said that a meeting of senior party leaders, including state incharge Avinash Pandey, state unit chief Ajay Rai and district and block President’s of the assembly seats will take place on July 21.

After that meeting, the leaders will hold talks with the Samajwadi Party leaders to decide on number of seats which each party will contest, the source said.
However, a final stamp of the formula will be given during the meeting of senior leadership of Congress with the Samajwadi Party in the national capital during the budget session of Parliament commencing from July 22, the source added.

The byepoll, necessitated by the victory of sitting MLAs in Lok Sabha polls, in alliance.
The 10 Assembly seats which will go to polls, five were held by the SP, three by the BJP, one each by BJP allies RLD and NISHAD party.

Although the number of seats to be shared between the two is still unknown, the Congress is said to contest the seats which were held by the BJP and its allies, the source said.
The five seats that were held by SP includes Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Karhal (Mainpuri), Milkipur (Ayodhya), Kundarki (Moradabad) and Sisamau (Kanpur).

The seat of Sisamau has been vacated by sitting SP MLA Irfan Solanki who has been disqualified owing to his conviction and a sentence of seven years in a criminal case.
Of them, Katehari has been vacated by SP MLA Lalji Verma who got elected to Lok Sabha from Ambedkar Nagar Lok Sabha seat.
Similarly, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav resigned from Karhal (Mainpuri) assembly seat after winning from Kannauj Lok Sabha seat.

The development comes in the wake of a magnificient comeback by the Samajwadi Party and Congress in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections in the state, where it made a massive dent in the seats of the BJP. The Congress won five seats out of 17 seats it contested in the state while the Samajwadi Party had won 37 seats.

The UP assembly had declared these 10 seats vacant between June 7 and 18 and the bypoll there will be held within six months from the date of vacancy.
The Election Commission may hold the bypoll there along with the election to assemblies of Haryana and Maharashtra, later this year.

PM Modi’s meditation draws attention, opposition criticised for overreacting

June 1, 2024, 3:21 am

The country is heading towards the final phase of polling. Voting shall be concluded on remaining 57 seats on Saturday. Amidst the election fervour, both the political parties played their cards to woo the voters. But this time the opposition seems to have made certain wrong moves, which might work against them. The opposition may have miscalculated by placing excessive emphasis on PM Narendra Modi’s meditation in Kanyakumari. With their aggressive stance and assertive statements, the opposition might unintentionally divide Hindu voters, which could help the BJP in the next elections.

The opposition’s concern lies in Prime Minister Modi’s perceived ability to sway votes through his meditation activities. Speculations float as experts suggest that the opposition’s line of questioning could play as a catalyst in turning the tide in favour of BJP in the upcoming June 1 voting. Prime Minister Modi’s recent visit to Kanyakumari and gave a big message to Sanatan Dharma by performing puja. He paid homage to Mother Bhagwati Amman and embarked on a two-day meditation session at the Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial until June 1, further adds to the political dynamics. Opposition’s Contradictory Statement Could Shift Political Landscape in Key States.

The opposition’s recent contradictory statement is poised to reshape the political landscape, particularly in Bihar, Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Himachal Pradesh, with potentially lesser impact in Punjab. Mamata Banerjee’s awareness of Swami Vivekananda’s Bengali roots adds complexity, especially as the BJP aims to expand its presence in Bengal during the upcoming elections. If the remaining 9 seats of Bengal are affected, TMC will fall behind. In 2019, TMC had won all these seats. Due to this, the first attack was made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, along with Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, and RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav, grabbed the opportunity to raise questions. Voting for the remaining seats in the states represented by these leaders is scheduled for June 1. The Congress has directly approached the Election Commission, alleging a violation of the election code of conduct.

Mallikarjun Kharge went as far as to suggest that Prime Minister Modi could commence his meditation after June 4, implying his potential exit from office. The opposition, including Congress, aimed to display unity today, signaling confidence in the India alliance’s prospects for victory on June 4. Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh boldly asserted that in the event of victory, the India alliance would announce its prime ministerial candidate within 48 hours. However, when pressed, Kharge evaded the question, choosing instead to express gratitude towards Sonia Gandhi. This display of confidence from the opposition stems from their belief that Hindu votes have been fractured due to caste-based politics, impacting BJP’s traditionally dominant support.

Contrary to this, Prime Minister Modi extensively campaigned on the Hindutva agenda. In response to demands for reservations, he proposed reservations for Muslims and then announced his meditation plans. It was a strategic move, anticipating the polarizing effect it would have on the remaining seats. The opposition’s reactions reignited discussions around Sanatan Dharma, inadvertently falling into PM Modi’s carefully laid trap. Despite PM Modi’s past meditative retreats during the 2019 elections and his regular pilgrimages, the opposition seemed to overlook these factors, potentially setting themselves up for self-sabotage. As history shows, BJP secured 25 out of 57 seats during the last meditation event. This underscores the significance of the upcoming June 1 meditation, as it may well influence the outcomes in key states like Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh. But the opposition may face a big blow.

World’s Largest Election Marathon to End Tomorrow as India Goes for Seventh Phase of Lok Sabha Polls

June 1, 2024, 12:08 am

The Lok Sabha elections, a mammoth electoral exercise spanning seven phases, are set to conclude with the seventh and final phase of polling on 57 seats across seven states and one union territory. As the world’s largest polling marathon draws to a close, all eyes are on the results slated to be declared on June 4.

Over 10.06 crore eligible voters will exercise their franchise across nearly 1.09 lakh polling stations, with around 10.9 lakh polling officials deployed to ensure smooth polls. Notably, the electorate comprises about 5.24 crore male, 4.82 crore female, and 3,574 third gender voters.

Key constituencies in this phase include Varanasi, from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking re-election, and several others like Mandi, Hamirpur, Dumka, Diamond Harbour, Basirhat, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Patiala, Kendrapara, and Patna Sahib.

In Himachal Pradesh, six assembly seats will also witness bypolls concurrently with the Lok Sabha elections, with potential implications for the Congress government in the state.

Key contests in the seventh phase include:

Chandigarh: BJP’s Sanjay Tandon faces off against former Union Minister Manish Tewari of Congress, supported by AAP.

West Bengal: Notable contests include Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar.

Bihar: Key battles include Nalanda, Patna Sahib, Pataliputra, Arrah, Buxar, Sasaram, Karakat, and Jahanabad.

Himachal Pradesh: Significant contests are expected in Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, and Shimla.

Jharkhand: Rajmahal, Dumka, and Godda are among the prominent constituencies witnessing electoral battles.

Odisha: Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, and Jagatsinghpur are notable constituencies.

Punjab: Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Anandpur Sahib, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Firozpur, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala are key constituencies.

Uttar Pradesh: Prominent contests include Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushi Nagar, Deoria, Bansgaon, Ghosi, Salempur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, and Robertsganj.

With multi-cornered contests in many constituencies and high-profile candidates across party lines, the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections is poised to shape the political landscape significantly.

Lok Sabha Polls 2024 Phase 4: Akhilesh Yadav, Mahua Moitra, Asaduddin Owaisi… ; List of Key Candidates and Seats

May 13, 2024, 12:17 am

The Lok Sabha elections’ fourth phase in 2024 is set for tomorrow, covering 96 seats across 9 states and one Union Territory. Andhra Pradesh has 25 seats, Telangana 17, Uttar Pradesh 13, Maharashtra 11, and Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal 8 each. Bihar has 5, while Jharkhand and Odisha have 4 each, and Jammu and Kashmir has 1.

Prominent leaders contesting include AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, TMC’s Mahua Moitra, BJP’s Giriraj Singh, among others.

Key contests include Baharampur, with Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (Congress), Yusuf Pathan (TMC), and Dr. Nirmal Kumar Saha (BJP) in competition. Hyderabad sees BJP’s Madhavi Latha against AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi. Krishnanagar features TMC’s Mahua Moitra versus BJP’s Amrita Roy. In Begusarai, it’s BJP’s Giriraj Singh against CPI’s Awadhesh Rai. Munger witnesses JDU’s Lalan Singh versus RJD’s Anita Devi. In Srinagar, NC’s Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi faces PDP’s Waheed Parra. Asansol presents TMC’s Shatrughan Sinha versus BJP’s Surinderjeet Singh Ahluwalia. Kannauj sees SP’s Akhilesh Yadav against BJP’s Subrat Pathak. Kadapa features Congress’s YS Sharmila against sitting MP Avinash Reddy. In Khunti, it’s BJP’s Arjun Munda against Congress’s Kali Charan Munda.

These contests are crucial, reflecting diverse political narratives across India.

In Baharampur, Chowdhury, Pathan, and Saha are locked in a fierce battle. Hyderabad braces for Latha versus Owaisi. Krishnanagar awaits Moitra versus Roy. Begusarai observes Singh versus Rai. Munger watches Singh versus Devi. Srinagar witnesses Mehdi versus Parra. Asansol anticipates Sinha versus Ahluwalia. Kannauj sees Yadav versus Pathak. Kadapa is set for Sharmila versus Reddy. Khunti presents Munda versus Munda.

These battles epitomize the democratic fervour coursing through India’s electoral landscape, each seat a microcosm of larger national aspirations and regional nuances.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: A Glimpse of the States and UTs Heading to Polls in the First Phase

April 18, 2024, 7:41 pm

The ongoing massive democratic process in India involves voters commencing their participation on Friday to select 543 Members of Parliament in a seven-phase election, remarkable for its scale and logistics, encompassing every voter across the vast and diverse country.

The first phase, occurring tomorrow, will cover 102 constituencies across 21 states and union territories. This year’s Lok Sabha election, taking place from April 19 to June 1, marks the second-longest polling period in India’s electoral history. The previous general elections in 2019 were also conducted in seven phases. The voting process will extend to April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1, with the election results announced on June 4.

Additionally, new assemblies will be elected in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Various political parties have vigorously campaigned, with the BJP-led NDA aiming for a third consecutive term under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, while the opposition INDIA bloc seeks to remove the BJP-led alliance from power. Rigorous security measures have been implemented by the Election Commission.

The first phase covers seats in multiple states and union territories, with Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh witnessing voting across all seven phases starting April 19. However, polling will occur in a single phase on April 19 in some regions such as Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Meghalaya, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The election schedule was announced by the Election Commission of India on March 16, which also includes bypolls to 26 assembly constituencies alongside the Lok Sabha and four state assembly polls. Bypolls will be held in the Ramnagar seat in Tripura and the Vilavancode seat in Tamil Nadu on April 19. The first phase boasts the highest number of parliamentary constituencies among all phases.

Approximately 8.4 crore male voters, 8.23 crore female voters, and 11,371 third-gender electors are eligible to vote in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, according to the Election Commission’s estimates.

Key contenders and constituencies in the Phase 1 of Lok Sabha elections:

In Uttar Pradesh, voting will take place in eight out of the total 80 parliamentary constituencies on April 19.

1. Pilibhit: Jitin Prasada (BJP) faces Bhagwant Saran Gangwar (SP) and Anis Ahmed Khan (BSP).
2. Saharanpur: Raghav Lakhanpal (BJP) is pitted against Majid Ali (BSP) and Imran Masood (Congress).
3. Kairana: Pradeep Kumar (BJP) faces Sripal Singh (BSP) and Iqra Hasan (SP).
4. Muzaffarnagar: Sanjeev Balyan (BJP) is contesting against Harindra Malik (SP) and Dara Singh Prajapati (BSP).
5. Rampur: Ghanshyam Lodhi (BJP) faces Zeeshan Khan (BSP).
6. Moradabad: Sarvesh Singh (BJP) versus Mohd. Irfan Saifi (BSP).
7. Bijnor: Chandan Chauhan (RLD) is contesting against Vijendra Singh (BSP) and Yashvir Singh (SP).
8. Nagina: Om Kumar (BJP) faces Surendra Pal Singh (BSP), Manoj Kumar (SP), and Chandra Shekhar Azad (Azad Samaj Party).

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats and voting will take place in five constituencies tomorrow.

1. Nagpur: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari (BJP) is pitted against Congress leader Vikas Thakare.
2. Chandrapur: Sudhir Mungantiwar (BJP) is contesting against Pratibha Dhanorkar (Congress).
3. Bhandara-Gondia: Sitting MP Sunil Mendhe (BJP) faces Dr. Prashant Patole (Congress).
4. Gadchiroli-Chimur: Ashok Nete (BJP) is facing Namdev Kirsan (Congress) and Hitesh Pandurang Madavi (VBA).

West Bengal has 42 Lok Sabha constituencies and voting will take place in three seats tomorrow.

1. Cooch Behar: Incumbent MP Nishith Pramanik (BJP) is pitted against Jagadish Chandra Burma Basunia (TMC) and Pia Roy Chowdhury (Congress).
2. Alipurduars: Manoj Tigga (BJP) is in the fray against Prakash Chik Baraik (TMC).
3. Jalpaiguri: Jayanta Kumar Roy (BJP) is contesting against Nirmal Chandra Roy (TMC) and Debraj Barman (CPI-M).

All 39 seats of Tamil Nadu and one seat of Puducherry will go in for polls tomorrow. Some of the key seats include

1. Coimbatore: State BJP chief K Annamalai is in fray against Ganapathy P Rajkumar (DMK) and Singai Ramachandran (AIADMK).
2. Thoothukudi: Kanimozhi (DMK) is contesting against R Sivasami Velumani (AIADMK).
3. Chennai South: BJP has fielded former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan. She is facing DMK leader and incumbent MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian. AIADMK has fielded Jayavardhan.
4. Krishnagiri: Vidhya Rani, the daughter of slain sandalwood smuggler Veerappan is contesting from Krishnagiri constituency. She has been fielded by Naam Tamilar Katchi and will face C Narasimhan (BJP) and K Gopinath (Congress).
5. Chennai Central: Dayanidhi Maran (DMK) is facing Vinoj P Selvam (BJP) and B Parthasarathy (DMDK).
6. Nilgiris: A Raja (DMK) is contesting against Union Minister and BJP leader L Murugan. AIADMK has given a ticket to Lokesh Tamilselvan.
7. Sivaganga: Devanathan Yadav (BJP) is in the fray against Congress sitting MP Karti Chidambaram and A Xavier (AIADMK).

In Assam, five out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats will undergo elections in the initial phase:

1. Dibrugarh: Sarbananda Sonowal (BJP) will compete against Lurinjyoti Gogoi (INDIA bloc).
2. Jorhat: Topon Kumar Gogoi (BJP) is challenging Gaurav Gogoi (Congress).
3. Kaziranga: Kamakhya Prasad Tasa (BJP) is facing Roselina Tirkey (Congress).
4. Lakhimpur: Pradan Baruah (BJP) is against Uday Shankar Hazarika (Congress).
5. Sonitpur: Ranjit Dutta (BJP) is contesting against Premlal Ganju.

In Bihar, four out of 40 Lok Sabha constituencies will go to the polls tomorrow:

1. Aurangabad: Sushil Kumar Singh (BJP) versus Abhay Kushwaha (RJD).
2. Gaya: Kumar Sarvjeet (RJD) versus Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM).
3. Jamui: Archana Kumari (RJD) versus Arun Bharti (LJP-Ram Vilas).
4. Nawada: Shrawan Kumar (RJD) versus Vivek Thakur (BJP).

In Madhya Pradesh, six out of the state’s 29 Lok Sabha seats will see polling tomorrow:

1. Chhindwara: Nakul Nath (Congress) versus Vivek Bunty Sahu (BJP).
2. Balaghat: Bharti Pardhi (BJP) versus Samrat Saraswat (Congress).
3. Jabalpur: Ashish Dubey (BJP) versus Dinesh Yadav (Congress).
4. Mandla: Faggan Singh Kulaste (BJP) versus Omkar Singh Markam (Congress).
5. Shahdol: Himadri Singh (BJP) versus Phunde Lal Singh Marko (Congress).
6. Sidhi: Rajesh Mishra (BJP) versus Kamaleshwar Patel (Congress).

In Uttarakhand, all five Lok Sabha seats will have polling tomorrow:

1. Haridwar: Virendra Rawat (Congress) versus Trivendra Singh Rawat (BJP).
2. Pauri Garhwal: Ganesh Godiyal (Congress) versus Anil Baluni (BJP).
3. Tehri Garhwal: Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah versus Jot Singh Gunsola (Congress).
4. Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar: Ajay Bhatt (BJP) versus Prakash Joshi (Congress).
5. Almora: Ajay Tamta versus Pradeep Tamta (Congress).

Voting in 12 out of the 25 constituencies of Rajasthan will occur in the first phase tomorrow. Key contests include:

1. Bikaner: Arjun Ram Meghwal (BJP) versus Madan Gopal Meghwal (Congress).
2. Churu: Devendra Jhajharia (BJP) versus Rahul Kaswan (Congress).
3. Nagaur: Jyoti Mirdha versus Hanuman Beniwal (RLP).
4. Sikar: Swami Sumedhanand versus Amra Ram (CPI(M)).
5. Jhunjhunu: Shubhkaran Choudhary versus Brijendra Singh Ola (Congress).

In Andaman and Nicobar Islands, incumbent MP Kuldeep Rai Sharma (Congress) faces Bishnu Pada Ray (BJP).

Arunachal Pradesh’s two constituencies will have polling in the first phase:

1. Arunachal Pradesh West: Nabam Tuki (Congress) versus Kiren Rijiju (BJP).
2. Arunachal Pradesh East: Bosiram Siram (Congress) versus Tapir Gao (BJP).

In Chhattisgarh, which has 11 Lok Sabha seats, voting will take place in the first phase in the Naxal-affected seat of Bastar where Kawasi Lakhma (Congress) is against Mahesh Kashyap (BJP).

In Manipur, elections will take place twice in one constituency. Voters in Outer Manipur will cast their votes over two days due to the special situation owing to ethnic violence witnessed by the state.

While voting will take place in Inner Manipur constituency on April 19 (phase 1), outer Manipur will vote on two dates – April 19 (phase 1) and April 26 (phase 2).

Of the two Lok Sabha seats in Tripura, the constituency of Tripura (West), which includes the state capital of Agartala, will go to the polls tomorrow. BJP nominee Biplab Kumar Deb is contesting against state Congress chief Ashish Kumar Saha.

‘Akhilesh Yadav accuses BJP of prioritizing drain opening over smart city development

April 25, 2023, 4:19 pm

On Tuesday, Akhilesh Yadav, chief of the Samajwadi Party, took a dig at the BJP over the ‘problems in cities’ and said that the party did not make them ‘smart’ in spite of having its own mayors and instead ‘opened drains.’ He made the remark about the BJP ahead of the municipal elections in Uttar Pradesh.

All the issues in the city are due to the BJP. These cities have had mayors from the BJP for the maximum and longest duration, but still, they have not provided smart cities. “BJP did not make a sustainable city but opened drains and dug roads, and corruption happened in every city. All the buildings that were built are the same. There have been only scams in the name of smart cities, he said while attending a press conference.

SP chief, Akhilesh Yadav claimed that all of the work completed in the cities occurred during his time as chief minister and that no work was carried out under the BJP’s rule.

“The work that is being seen today in Lucknow is the work of the SP. Samajwadi government gave the metro to Lucknow,” Akhilesh Yadav said.

Taking a dig at PM Modi, he claimed, “PM Narendra Modi had created a factory in Lucknow itself to generate electricity from the rubbish. However, power was never produced.
He continued, “They (the UP administration) destroyed the Varun River and the Gomti Riverfront. There is no such thing as a road without any traffic. We think that cities ought to be clean. That is why we have presented our concerns.

Akhilesh Yadav: UP CM busy in campaigning, administration battered by criminals

April 21, 2023, 4:04 pm

Samajwadi party Chief Akhilesh yadav slams UP CM yogi aditynath for ‘failing administration’ in state and busy in being star campaigner for upcoming karnataka election.

“Criminal activities are happening in broad daylight but it is claimed that law and order are fine in the state. The public has also come to know that BJP has mastered the art of false propaganda,” the Samajwadi Party chief said on Friday. The government has nothing to show its work, so it is wasting its time by telling the works of the Samajwadi government as its own, he added.

“The situation of Jungle Raj is in Lucknow. Miscreants robbed a woman’s chain at gunpoint in broad daylight in Krishna Nagar. Rs 13 lakh was looted from a businessman in the Kaiserbagh area. A contract worker extorted money from the girl in the name of a job and raped her. The miscreants looted the gold garland of an old man at Buddheshwar temple in Para,” Akhilesh Yadav alleged.

Former UP CM further alleged, “On April 20, 2023, a teenager was raped by showing a pistol in the Antu police station area of Pratapgarh. The bus driver molested a BSC student returning from Chandausi after giving exams. In Meerut’s Kankarkheda, miscreants dragged two sisters, beat them up and behaved obscenely. In Unnao, five BJP goons set fire to the victim’s house as soon as she was released from jail for not withdrawing the rape case against a minor. In Triveni Enclave located at Tajganj in Agra, Saresham Inspector’s daughter-in-law was looted after taking her hostage.”

“These incidents are just for counting. Every day incidents of loot, murder, molestation and rape happen in the state. In most cases, instead of helping the victim, the police work to create pressure in favour of the criminal elements. Due to poor investigation and negligence in prosecution, all the criminals are left free. Law and order are badly messed up under the BJP rule,” he said.

Mobile phones found in jail, 5 suspended

January 6, 2023, 1:03 pm

Consequent upon recovery of mobile phones in Mandoli Prisons, 5 jail officials were suspended namely Sh. Pradeep Sharma, Deputy Superintendent, Sh. Dharmender Maurya, Deputy Superintendent, Sh. Sunny Chandra, Assistant Superintendent, Sh. Lokesh Dhama, Head Warder and Sh. Hansraj Meena, Warder. Furthermore, Sh. Sanjay Baniwal, IPS, Director General (Prisons) has given directions to all the Jail Superintendents to form their search teams and detect mobile phones and other prohibited articles in their jails. In the last fortnight 117 mobile phones were recovered by jail staff during the search operations conducted in all jails. These seizures will continue in future also to control the menace of these unauthorized articles/products in jails.

BJP’s step-motherly treatment towards Dalits: Akhilesh Yadav

December 29, 2022, 2:57 pm

SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav attacked BJP claiming that the party gives step-motherly treatment to the backward people and Dalits. He said that BJP does not want the backward people to come into power.
Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at BJP and said that the government is in the Centre on the basis of Dalit’s votes and then the party behaves step-motherly towards the backard people. He further said that the rights of the common people are being taken away and they are being exploited.
He further said, “The soul of BJP’s senior leaders has died. There are a number of scams happening on large scale in the BJP government. They formed the commission but did not give any report. Any report related to scam probe were not made public. People will give a befitting reply to BJP in the upcoming elections. Our party will fight for people; we will fight for OBC reservation in the Supreme Court.
The decision of the Allahabad High Court has come on Tuesday regarding the municipal elections in UP (UP Nikay Chunav). After the decision of the court, now the way has been cleared for the civic elections in the state. But in the meantime, the opposition parties have strongly attacked the BJP government. Now Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has made a direct attack on the BJP government.

Akhilesh Yadav tweeted, “Today the anti-reservation BJP is showing sympathy on the subject of OBC reservation in the body elections. Today BJP has taken away the reservation rights of backward people, tomorrow BJP will also take away the reservation given by Babasaheb to Dalits.” There is an appeal to the backward and Dalits to support the SP in the fight to save the reservation.”

Akhilesh Yadav says BJP will lose in Gujarat polls, SP will rule Mainpuri

December 5, 2022, 1:26 pm

Akhilesh Yadav, Former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and National President of Samajwadi Party has predicted that his party will win Mainpuri by-elections.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Akhilesh Yadav said, “I hope BJP will have a massive defeat in Gujarat… I believe SP will get a good number of votes in Mainpuri byelections, people will vote for us… BJP must allow the central agencies (Election Commission) to operate freely, BJP is misusing them.”
Akhilesh further claimed that SP will Win the Mainpuri elections and BJP would lose in Gujarat.
Despite asserting that he has won the Mainpuri seat, Akhilesh Yadav is simultaneously criticising the government and the administration due to the fierce opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party.
In the Mainpuri by-election, according to Akhilesh, it appears like the Bharatiya Janata Party is not running; rather, the government and the administration are working to help the BJP win.
In honour of the late Mulayam Singh Yadav, the whole Yadav family, including Akhilesh Yadav, urged voters to support the Samajwadi Party.
Mulayam Singh Yadav passed away on October 10 of this year.
Although the vote percentage is not yet sufficiently encouraging, Akhilesh Yadav claimed that there is a lot of enthusiasm among the populace and that the vote percentage would be good.
20.25% of voters were registered in Mainpuri as of 11 a.m.
Following the passing of the incumbent MP and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav, voting was mandated in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency. His daughter-in-law and Akhilesh Yadav’s wife, Dimple Yadav, is running for the party. She is up against Raghuraj Singh Shakya, a former member of the BJP.

Akhilesh Yadav slams UP police amid by-polling: “Biased and misleading central forces”

December 5, 2022, 12:10 pm

Akhilesh Yadav, a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, and his wife, Dimple Yadav, a candidate for the Samajwadi Party in Mainpuri, arrived in Saifi on Monday to vote in the tense by-election for the coveted Lok Sabha seat that his father Mulayam Singh Yadav once held. Akhilesh Yadav gave a press conference after casting his ballot in which he accused the administration of electoral fraud and claimed it was acting at the direction of the winning party.

The Samajwadi Party president slammed the Yogi Adityanath government and said the police had been briefed not to allow SP workers to vote in Mainpuri, Rampur constituencies. “Police had been deployed to stop party supporters from coming to our meeting…Central forces have been deployed but are being guided by local police,” said Yadav as he alleged the UP police “is biased and misleading central forces”.

Further criticising Raghuraj Singh Shakya, he claimed that the BJP hired an SP candidate since they lacked a candidate in Mainpuri. He expressed confidence in holding the seat from which his wife is running by saying, “We will win in Mainpuri since Netaji worked for Mainpuri.

Air Force jawan shoots himself in Gwalior, probe underway

November 28, 2022, 5:30 pm

An Air force jawan at Maharajpura Air force station in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior district shot himself on Monday with his service rifle.

Meanwhile, a resident of Punjab the air force jawan has been identified as Jasvant Singh. At Maharajpura Air Force Station in the district, he was posted as a sentry (guard).

Moreover, when another sentry went to resume his duty the incident came to light. On the stairs of the watchtower, Jasvant was lying.

“The Maharajpura police on Monday received information that an Air force jawan had committed suicide while on duty on Sunday night. The police reached the spot and found the jawan lying dead on the stairs, with his service rifle resting on his chest. The post-mortem has been conducted and an investigation is underway to ascertain why the soldier took his own life,” Ravi Bhadauria City Superintendent of Police said.

However, talking about the incident SP said the family members of Jawan have been informed.

“No suicide note was recovered from the spot,’ Bhaduria said.

Furthermore, an investigation into the matter is underway.

BJP fields former MP Raghuraj Singh against Dimple Yadav for Mainpuri bypoll

November 15, 2022, 2:19 pm

In the Lok Sabha bypoll from Mainpuri, which was required as a result of the passing of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded former MP Raghuraj Singh Shakya against Dimple Yadav of the Samajwadi Party. Earlier this year, Shakya switched from Shivpal Yadav’s Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party to the BJP.

Mainpuri is regarded as one of the Samajwadi Party’s strongholds, and the BJP would like to overthrow it as it recently did with the Lok Sabha seats of Azamgarh and Rampur. The BJP is more optimistic now that Shivpal Yadav and his nephew, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, have broken up due to the senior Yadav’s dominance in Mainpuri.

The BJP also made its candidates for the byelections to the three assembly seats in Bihar, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh known. Following the incumbent MLAs’ disqualification as a result of convictions in separate cases, the two assembly seats in UP — Khatauli and Rampur — became vacant.

Rampur seat became vacant as a result of the conviction of Samajwadi Party MLA Azam Khan in a 2019 hate speech case by an MP-MLA court and the disqualification of BJP MLA Vikram Saini from the UP legislative assembly due to his conviction in a case involving the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. Rajkumari Saini and Akash Saxena, who are both running for BJP in Khatauli and Rampur, respectively.

The Samajwadi Party (SP)-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance has declared former MLA Madan Bhaiya as its candidate for the bypoll to the Khatauli seat. The update was shared by the official Twitter handle of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). ‘’Madan Bhaiya will be the candidate of RLD-SP alliance for Khatauli assembly seat by-election 2022,’’ read the tweet in Hindi.

As a joint candidate of the ruling mahagathbandhan and a former legislator from the Janata Dal-United, Manoj Kushwaha will face Kedar Prasad Gupta in the byelection for the Kurhani assembly constituency in Bihar (Grand Alliance).

Ashok Kumar Pincha and Brahmanand Netam, both candidates for byelections to the Sardarshahar assembly in Rajasthan and Bhanupratappur in Chhattisgarh, have been named by the BJP.

Dimple Yadav likely to file nomination for Manipuri LS bypolls

November 13, 2022, 4:42 pm

Dimple Yadav, the Samajwadi Party candidate for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypolls, is anticipated to submit her nomination papers on Monday, according to a senior party official.

Alok Shakya, district president of the Samajwadi Party’s Mainpuri district unit, informed PTI that the 44-year-old wife of SP leader Akhilesh Yadav will file her candidacy at the Mainpuri collectorate on Monday afternoon.

With Dimple Yadav running, the SP is attempting to continue Mulayam Singh Yadav’s legacy on the seat, which has been viewed as a stronghold for the party since 1996. Her selection is also viewed as an effort to bring party cadres together before the byelection.

The Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat’s by-election is scheduled for December 5, and the results will be announced on December 8.

The deadline for submitting nominations for the byelection is November 17, and nominations are already being accepted.

After Mulayam Singh Yadav passed away on October 10, the Mainpuri parliamentary seat became vacant.

It is currently unclear whether the Congress, BSP, and Shivpal Yadav’s Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (PSPL) will run in the elections, while the BJP has not yet declared its candidate for the seat.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP candidate Subrat Pathak from Kannauj defeated Dimple Yadav.

Mulayam Singh Yadav, the patriarch of the SP, defeated Prem Singh Shakya, the BJP candidate, by a margin of more than 94,000 votes in 2019.

The Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency includes Akhilesh’s Karhal Assembly seat as well as Shivpal Yadav’s representation of Jaswant Nagar.

In 2012, Dimple Yadav was elected to the Lok Sabha without opposition from the Kannauj constituency after Akhilesh was appointed chief minister and left his position to join the Uttar Pradesh legislative council.

In the 12.13 lakh voters in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat, 35% are Yadavs, with the remaining electors being Shakyas, Thakurs, Brahmins, Scheduled Castes, and Muslims.

Five assembly districts make up the Mainpuri parliamentary district, including Mainpuri, Bhogaon, Kishni, Karhal, and Jaswant Nagar. In the 2022 assembly elections, the BJP won two seats (Mainpuri and Bhogaon), while the SP won three (Karhal, Kishni, and Jaswantnagar).

Madurai: 5 killed in firecracker factory explosion

November 10, 2022, 3:59 pm

An explosion occurred in a private firecracker factory near Usilambatti in Madurai on Thursday in which five people were killed.

The Superintendent of Police of Madurai informed about the incident.

However, more details on the matter are awaited.

Ghaziabad gang rape case fabricated, 3 held

October 21, 2022, 1:27 pm

In the alleged abduction and gang rape case of a 38-year-old Delhi woman in Ghaziabad, a major twist has come as the police have said that it was fabricated to implicate the accused over an ongoing property dispute.

Meanwhile, three accomplices have been arrested by the police for hatching the conspiracy.

Meerut range Inspector-General of Police Praveen Kumar said, “An acquaintance of the complainant woman, Azad, and two other accomplices, Gaurav and Afzal, had planned this (gang rape) in a dispute over a property. All three were arrested. The woman is also involved in the conspiracy. Action will be taken against her too.”

“As soon as information regarding the incident was received at Nandgram police station, the victim was taken to the hospital for medical treatment. Three people have been arrested in the case,” IG Praveen Kumar said.

The matter came to the light when a woman was found lying in a pool of blood in a jute bag.

“A car and other materials have also been recovered. Further investigation is underway,” IG Praveen Kumar added.

Moreover, the gang raped in a complaint filed by the woman according to the police.

“We got the information about the gang rape two days ago in which a woman had complained about the incident. As per the rape survivor, all the accused were known to her and a property dispute between the two has come to light,” Superintendent of Police (SP) City Ghaziabad Nipun Aggarwal said.

Earlier on 16 September woman was abducted while she was returning from a birthday party after which five men in Ghaziabad gang raped her over two days.

SP Nipun further said, “After her brother dropped her off, 5 people -who were known to her- took her away and gang-raped her. FIR was registered and four people were nabbed. It is being said that they have a property dispute and the matter is sub-judice. We are taking all necessary action.”

“On October 18, police in Nandgram, Uttar Pradesh received information that a woman was lying near Ashram Road. They took her to the hospital. She’s a resident of Delhi and had come to her brother’s residence in Nandgram,” SP, Ghaziabad said.

After re-elected as SP chief, Akhilesh Yadav calls for BJP’s removal from power

September 29, 2022, 2:11 pm

Akhilesh Yadav, the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, asked voters on Thursday to assist the Samajwadi Party (SP) become a national party in the following five years by removing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from power in the national elections of 2024.

He said the people voted for the SP in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls but the BJP snatched away their government and installed its own with malpractices and misuse of the official machinery. “They did this because the exit from Uttar Pradesh would have meant the exit of the government from the Centre as well. That is why they did all that they could.”

He added the Election Commission of India (ECI), an institution they had the highest faith in, also let them down. “The ECI sided with the booth in charges of the BJP. That is why now we have to become very strong at the booth level.”

He vowed to carry on the fight against the BJP regimes in the state and at the central level, even if it meant overcrowding jails. He claimed that the institutions had been taken over by the governments in Delhi and Lucknow, putting democracy and the Constitution in danger.

“[We] do not fear struggle,” said Yadav at the party’s national convention in Lucknow after he was declared the SP national president unopposed.

Yadav highlighted the solidarity among socialists and Dalits, who are enlisting in the SP in significant numbers. He referred the BJP officials as propagandists and liars.

“As we are celebrating Navratis…let us make a prayer to Goddess Durga that the BJP leaders stop lying…Farmers are distressed, but maximum loan waivers were given to Gujarat businessmen…Industries are being taken to Gujarat. Why not to the state [Uttar Pradesh], which gave maximum seats to BJP and helped it form the government at the Centre twice?”

The former chief minister was the only nominee and was chosen to lead the SP for a period of five years, according to SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav. Naresh Uttam Patel was re-elected as president of the Uttar Pradesh SP on Wednesday.

Akhilesh Yadav thanked the party for the trust it has shown in him. “It is not just a post, but a great responsibility. I assure you that for the responsibility that you have given me, even if I have to devote every day of life and every moment to work and struggle, I will.”

He said the SP founder and his father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, always wanted it to become a national party. “…we tried and did a lot of hard work to do that…”

Lucknow: Akhilesh Yadav starts dharna after police stop MLAs’ massive march

September 19, 2022, 11:23 am

Akhilesh Yadav led a legislators’ agitation to the Uttar Pradesh legislature on Monday against the Yogi Adityanath administration, reportedly his first such foot march. The large march, which took place before the assembly’s monsoon session began, was held amidst a strong security presence.

“I think it’s not legitimate to expect the Samajwadi Party to follow rules,” Yogi Adityanath said amid the massive march, adding that the cops were given necessary permissions.

Akhilesh Yadav, however, sat on a dharna on a road shortly after police stopped the march.

An alternative path was opened even though the police had previously permitted the pad yatra. The enormous foot march included not just Samajwadi Party MPs but also party leaders. Akhilesh Yadav, who had emerged as the main opposition to the BJP in the state polls earlier this year, was seen brandishing a banner critical of the Yogi Adityanath administration while surrounded by SP members. Party members screamed epithets critical of the ruling party around him. In addition to other problems, the Samajwadi Party has been criticising the BJP for rising prices

Akhilesh Yadav leads ‘padyatra’ to UP assembly against Yogi

September 19, 2022, 11:09 am

An alternative route was opened while the police permitted the pad yatra. The massive foot march included not just Samajwadi Party MPs but also party leaders.

Akhilesh Yadav, who had emerged as the main opposition to the BJP in the state polls earlier this year, was seen brandishing a banner critical of the Yogi Adityanath administration while surrounded by SP members. Party members screamed epithets critical of the ruling party around him. In addition to other problems, the Samajwadi Party has been criticising the BJP for rising prices.

Day after riots in Tamil Nadu, Kallakurichi SP transferred

July 20, 2022, 12:19 pm

The district Superintendent of Police, S Selvakumar has been transferred with immediate effect following the violence erupted in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi. After the death of a class 12 student violence broke out on Sunday when protesters forcibly entered school premises and vandalized school property, and set ablaze school buses and police vans.

Triplicane Deputy Commissioner of police Pakalavan has been appointed as new Superintendent of police of Kallakurichi.

Earlier, police registered a case and initiated a probe and later after the violence the matter was transferred to the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department. The CB-CID has put a notice outside the house of a 17-year-old dead girl, to collect the body of a girl for final rites.

On Monday, 987 schools in Tamil Nadu remained closed. “All private nursery, matriculation and CBSE schools will remain closed tomorrow in the state to protest against the attack on Kaniyamoor Sakthi Matriculation School in Kallakurichi,” KR Nandhakumar, State President, Tamil Nadu Private School Association said on Monday.

Meanwhile, in connection with the death of a 17-year-old school girl, the school secretary, principal, school correspondent and two teachers were sent to 15 day-remand.

Reacting to the Kallakurichi incident, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin tweeted, “Violence worries me. The accused will be punished when the police probe over the school girl’s dead ends. I have asked the DGP, Home Secretary, to travel to Kallakurichi. I request people to maintain peace.”

Notably, on July 13, a class 12 girl student was found dead in the hostel of a residential school. Later the school management informed the police and shifted the girl student for post-mortem to the Kallakurichi Medical College and Hospital.