MC Election LIVE Updates February 17: UP polls 3rd phase: Over 36% BJP, SP candidates have 'serious criminal cases'

A man's inked marked finger is seen as he leaves a polling station. (Representative image)

Highlights:

--  UP polls 3rd phase: Over 36% BJP, SP candidates have 'serious criminal cases' 

-- AAP reacts to pro-Khalistani allegations levelled on Kejriwal 

-- BJP promises free scooters for female college students in Manipur

-- PM Modi addresses rally in UP's Fatehpur

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Uttarakhand polls: BJP lodges police complaint over Kaushik's 'fake' tweet

The Uttarakhand BJP has got a police complaint lodged in connection with a "fake" tweet of its president Madan Kaushik that has gone viral. In the alleged fake tweet, Kaushik purportedly offered to resign as the Uttarakhand BJP chief, taking moral responsibility for the party's "defeat" in the state Assembly polls caused by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's ambition.

Uttarakhand went to polls on February 14 and the results will be declared on March 10. Kaushik's "fake" tweet, which went viral after the conclusion of polling in the state, caused much concern in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), prompting it to convene a press conference here on Thursday and accuse the Congress of venting its frustration in the face of yet another electoral defeat.

UP: Mulayam appears at his first poll rally, seeks votes for his son

Making his first appearance at an election rally, Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday sought votes for his son Akhilesh Yadav, promising that his party will fulfil the aspirations of the people. Yadav said the people want that the problems of poverty and unemployment are resolved, and his party's policies are very clear on these issues.

He appealed to the people to ensure the victory of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. The polling for the third phase will be held on February 20 in Karhal where the BJP has pitted Union minister SP Singh Baghel against Akhilesh Yadav.

Congress pooh-poohs BJP's claim of bringing stability to Manipur

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday described the BJP's claim of bringing stability to poll-bound Manipur as "hollow" and its zero-tolerance policy towards drugs as a "joke". Releasing the manifesto earlier in the day, BJP national president JP Nadda asserted that under the leadership of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, the state has headed towards development in the last five years, tackling the drug menace and achieving stability with rule of law being established.

Ramesh said that the Manipur government website informs people that only 47 per cent of the state's eligible population have received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, which is among the lowest in the country. He claimed that this proves the failure of the BJP government in the North-eastern state where assembly elections will be held in two phases on February 28 and March 5.

BJP promises free scooters for female college students, Rs 100 crore start-up fund in Manipur manifesto

The BJP on Thursday released its manifesto for the assembly elections in Manipur, promising two-wheelers to meritorious female college students, increasing the monthly pension for senior citizens to Rs 1,000 and setting up a Rs 100 crore start-up fund. Releasing the manifesto, BJP national president JP Nadda said that under the leadership of Chief Minister N Biren Singh the state has headed towards development in the last five years, tackling the drugs menage and achieving stability with rule of law being established.

"Free scooty will be given to all meritorious college-going girls to empower the women of the state," Nadda said, quoting the manifesto. The BJP also promised Rs 25,000 to girls from economically weaker sections under the 'Rani Gaidinliu Nupi Maheiroi Singi Scheme' if voted back to power.

Punjab polls: Rahul Gandhi urges voters to give 5 years to Channi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday urged voters of Punjab to give five years to Charanjit Singh Channi, whom he called a dynamic leader, by ensuring that the party retains power in the state. Gandhi also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on several issues and asserted that it was the Channi-led 111-day government that has taken several pro-people decisions.

UP Feb 20 polls: BJP, SP field equal percentage of candidates with 'serious criminal cases'

The Samajwadi Party and the BJP have fielded almost equal percentage of candidates with "serious criminal cases" against them for the third phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, according to a report. While 21 of the 55 candidates (36.20 per cent) of the SP have declared serious criminal cases, the number of BJP contestants stood at 20 out of 55 (36.36 per cent), the UP Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report found.

Overall, 103 (17 per cent) candidates out of the 627 in fray for the third phase of the assembly elections have declared serious criminal cases in which maximum punishment is five years or more and offences are non-bailable, according to the report. Among other major political parties, 18 or (31 per cent) of the 59 BSP candidates, 10 (18 per cent) of the 56 Congress candidates and 11 (22 per cent) of the 49 AAP candidates have declared serious criminal cases in their affidavits, it noted.

Amit Shah takes jibe at SP over Mulayam taking part in poll campaigning

Addressing a rally in the SP stronghold of Karhal, from where its president Akhilesh Yadav is contesting the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah took potshots at the party on Thursday for bringing veteran leader Mulayam Singh Yadav for campaigning. Accusing Akhilesh Yadav of indulging in dynastic politics, he said the previous SP government in Uttar Pradesh had 45 members from his family.

“I had heard Akhilesh Yadav say on television that he would now come to Karhal only on March 10 (the day the poll results are scheduled to be announced). But he came here six days later and under this scorching sun, also had to bring Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav). When the beginning is like this, what will be the end result?” Shah asked.

Incidentally, Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav made his first appearance in the ongoing election process on Thursday, addressing a meeting for his son Akhilesh Yadav at a distance of only about three kilometres from the venue of Shah's rally.

At Punjab election rally, PM Modi says his govt following Sant Ravidas' teachings      

Invoking Guru Ravidas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday told voters in Punjab that the welfare of the poor is above everything else for his government which is following the saint's ideals. He also said the Centre and the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh were making all-out efforts to ensure that the pilgrims from Punjab and around the country, who are currently visiting Varanasi on the occasion of Guru Ravidas Jayanti, are facilitated in every manner.

"Today is Sant Ravidas Jayanti. Before coming here, I went to Guru Ravidas Vishram Mandir (in Delhi) and sought blessings," Modi said addressing a poll rally in Pathankot, Punjab. Notably, the mystic poet-reformer who preached against social prejudices enjoys a nationwide following, especially among Dalits, and the community members are present in large numbers in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh where assembly elections are being held.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said at an election rally in Nangal, Punjab: “I have come here to say to the public that BJP should get a chance in Punjab. Till now, no one has been able to level allegations of corruption at our party.”

Commenting on Punjab CM's remark 'Don't let UP, Bihar ke bhaiya enter Punjab', he said: “Anyone can visit any state in the country. Being a CM, Channi Ji should work taking all along.”

Union Power and Energy minister RK Singh on Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi’s remark on people from UP and Bihar: “Such remarks by CM Channi will ensure that the minute presence of the Congress party in Bihar will wane away, it is shameful that these remarks have come from the oldest party.”

He added: “Congress is accustomed to dividing the country by encouraging regionalism on the lines of ‘tukde-tukde’ gang, but people think otherwise and this country will remain united.”

Punjab Polls | Watch: Delhi CM’s roadshow in Pathankot

#WATCH | Delhi CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal holds a road show in Pathankot.#PunjabElections2022 pic.twitter.com/n39b2cpAAV

— ANI (@ANI) February 17, 2022

• “I pay my tributes to those who lost their lives in the tragic accident in Kushinagar yesterday. The administration is providing full assistance to the affected families.”
• “The people of Uttar Pradesh have determined to hold colourful celebrations of victory on 10th March, ahead of Holi.”
• “I took blessings of sanitation workers by washing their feet and honouring them for their contributions during Prayagraj Kumbh. Later, at the inauguration of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, I met the construction workers who worked on the project.”
• “These people (the Opposition) even opposed banning of triple talaq. Should I not think of the welfare of women of the country?... Parivaarwadis are scared that their vote bank is vanishing as Modi is providing the poor facilities like health schemes, houses, toilets, etc.”
• “'Parivarwadi' are calling COVID-19 vaccines ‘BJP ka tika’. Two people are scared of the vaccine - one is a coronavirus, and the other are those opposing the vaccines. These people have problems with Modi, Yogi, and the vaccine.”

Watch: Congress roadshow in Punjab

#WATCH Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi and Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu hold a roadshow in Amritsar ahead of #PunjabElection2022 pic.twitter.com/QcjYJyig6B

— ANI (@ANI) February 17, 2022

Aam Aadmi Party’s Raghav Chadha on allegations levelled by Kumar Vishwas: “I would like to tell these dishonest forces that the people of Punjab will not get entangled in this propaganda. People of Punjab know that the dishonest forces just want to conspire to stop an honest Arvind Kejriwal and AAP.”

Ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections, Kumar Vishwas accused AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of supporting separatist forces in Punjab. The former AAP leader claimed that Kejriwal had told him he would become either the chief minister of Punjab or the first prime minister of Khalistan.

UP polls | Theatre group stages plays in support of BJP in Maurya's constituency Sirathu

As Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya campaigns for the BJP across the state, a team of theatre artistes roots for him in the Sirathu assembly segment, where he is locked in a contest against Samajwadi Party nominee Pallavi Patel. Over a dozen artistes of the theatre group from Delhi are staging street plays here to inform the public about the work done by the BJP government and Maurya.

"When a street-play is about to begin, we start playing the 'dhapli' (a musical instrument) to draw the crowd to our show," Mohit Nirhaakhar, who heads the 'Parindey' group, told PTI. Through fun and play, the characters are making people aware of various welfare schemes run by the double-engine government in the state, he said.

Biplab Deb to join BJP's campaign trail in Manipur on Friday

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb would hit the BJP's campaign trail in Manipur on Friday. Deb, who is currently in Delhi, is scheduled to campaign for the party in Manipur and return on Saturday, a BJP leader in Agartala said.

“The chief minister will address a few rallies and take part in roadshows in Manipur,” the party leader said on Thursday. Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhoumik, an MP from Tripura, has been extensively campaigning for the party in poll-bound Manipur for the past two weeks, he said.

Rajnath Singh addresses public meeting in Punjab's Amritsar

Union Defence Minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh is addressing a public meeting in poll-bound Punjab's Amritsar. "There are two batters in Congress right now. Both of them want to bat at the same time, neither of them wants to be in the non-striker end. Both batters are fighting on one crease. So, it is certain that they will get out," he says.

UP Election 2022: Parties go full-throttle in battle for Bundelkhand

Budget 2022-23 tabled by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 surprised many people because it largely steered clear of announcements for the five poll-bound states. However, the finance minister did say that the government has earmarked Rs 1,400 crore for implementation of the Ken-Betwa river-linking project, which will bring surplus water from the Ken river in Madhya Pradesh to irrigate the drought-prone Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. Read more here

JUST IN: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda arrives in Imphal, Manipur. The state will go under polling in two phases -- February 28 and March 5.

PM Narendra Modi in Punjab's Fazilka: History has witnessed that Congress always betrayed farmers. There was long pending demand to implement recommendations of Swaminathan Commission.They sat on those files but kept lying. When we formed our Govt at the Centre, we implemented those recommendations

PM Narendra Modi in Punjab's Fazilka: Today Punjab needs a government that draws inspiration from patriotism, from the development of Punjab. BJP has come before you with dedication, with the resolve of security and development of Punjab.

PM Modi addresses public meeting in Punjab's Fazilka

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing a public meeting in poll-bound Punjab's Fazilka

PM Shri @narendramodi addresses public meeting in Fazilka, Punjab. #NDAWinningPunjab
https://t.co/9GJ8dnYtkZ

— BJP (@BJP4India) February 17, 2022

Former Prime Minister and Congress leader Manmohan Singh: People are remembering our (Congress) good work. They (BJP) tried to dishonour the Punjab chief minister and the people of the state over PM Narendra Modi's security issue. (ANI)

Aam Admi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal holds a roadshow in Fatehgarh Churian of Gurdaspur district ahead of Punjab Assembly election

#WATCH | AAP national convener & Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal holds a roadshow in Fatehgarh Churian of Gurdaspur district ahead of #PunjabAssembypolls pic.twitter.com/lR5iVy13VC

— ANI (@ANI) February 17, 2022

PM Modi to address rallies in Punjab's Fazilka, UP's Fatehpur 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address rallies in poll-bound Punjab and Uttar Pradesh on February 17. He will first visit Punjab's Fazilka to address the rally at noon, and later UP's Fatehpur at 3.50 pm.

Punjab chief electoral officer holds meeting with returning officers over February 20 polls

Punjab's chief electoral officer S Karuna Raju has conducted a review meeting with returning officers for the February 20 assembly elections directing them to ensure proper arrangements at polling stations following the poll panel's instructions. The chief electoral officer has asked officials to ensure availability of masks, gloves, PPE kits, soaps, thermometers, and sanitisers at every polling station, according to an official release.