Category: Uttar Pradesh

Poll Panel says by-election dates have not been decided due to bad weather and natural disasters, but elections will be held within six months…reports Asian Lite News

Following a setback in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has vowed to win all 10 assembly seats, where by-elections are to be held, underlining its dominance in the state and sending a message to the Opposition that its recent resurgence was short-lived.

Political observers, however, say it could be an uphill task for the ruling NDA alliance.

Bypolls are to be held on 10 seats that fell vacant after nine MLAs were elected as MPs in this year’s Lok Sabha elections and the MLA of Sishamau was convicted and given a seven-year jail sentence. However, the dates for the polls have not been announced yet.

“Let us all pledge that we will achieve 100 per cent victory in the upcoming by-elections on 10 assembly seats,” BJP’s UP unit president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary exhorted party workers at the party’s state working committee meeting held on July 14.

Since then the BJP organisation has been making extensive preparations for all 10 seats, including at the booth level, with ministers and party office-bearers assigned the responsibility of one assembly constituency each.

BJP state vice-president and Legislative Council member Vijay Bahadur Pathak said that even though the by-election dates have not been decided, “the party has started extensive preparations.”

BJP and its allies will together win all the 10 seats, asserted Pathak, who is involved in the party’s election management.

This won’t be easy, political analysts say pointing to the results of the last elections, wrangling for tickets among alliance partners and reported infighting in the party’s state unit.

“Looking at the outcome of the 2022 assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha election results, BJP’s resolution of victory on all 10 seats is very challenging,” political analyst and retired professor of Lucknow University, Dr Rajesh Mishra said.

“The political and social equations of the seats for by-elections are such that there will be a challenge for the BJP on many seats. If there was a problem in the recent Lok Sabha elections, then the BJP will have even more problems in the assembly by-elections,” Mishra said.

In the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 33 seats — a massive drop from the 62 it had won in 2019. Its allies RLD and Apna Dal (S) managed three more seats taking the alliance tally to 36.

The state’s main opposition party Samajwadi Party (SP), meanwhile, won 37 seats, the Congress won six and another seat was won by Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram.

Two years before, in the assembly polls, the BJP had won comfortably.

Among the seats that are going to bypolls, the BJP had given the Majhava and Katehari tickets to its ally Nishad Party and fielded its own candidate in Karhal, Milkipur, Kundarki, Khair, Ghaziabad, Meerapur, Phulpur and Sisamau.

Of these, the Nishad Party won in Majhava but lost in Katehari. Out of the eight seats the BJP contested, it won only three — Khair, Ghaziabad and Phulpur seats.

The remaining five seats were won by the SP, while one seat was won by the RLD, which was with the opposition at the time. It switched to the ruling alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

In the 2022 elections, the BJP candidate in Phulpur won by a margin of less than three thousand votes against his nearest rival from the SP, while the BJP won with a comfortable margin in Khair and Ghaziabad.

In Karhal and Kundarki, however, the SP won by huge margins.

Seats like Milkipur, Sishamau, Katehari and Meerapur are also tough seats for the BJP, political experts say.

Milkipur (Ayodhya) seat has fallen vacant after SP’s Awadhesh Prasad was elected as MP from Faizabad (Ayodhya) parliamentary seat and Karhal (Mainpuri) seat has fallen vacant after SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was elected as MP from Kannauj. BJP is keen on both these seats.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently addressed a meeting of BJP workers and leaders of the Milkipur assembly constituency during a trip to Ayodhya.

On Saturday, Adityanath visited the Katehari assembly constituency of neighbouring district Ambedkar Nagar. He is scheduled to visit all the by-election constituencies.

The party has also put in all its weight in Karhal and many leaders and ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, are active in constituencies.

A BJP leader said that the party wants to win these seats and end the string of defeats there in past elections.

Social activist Ramprakash Yadav said the BJP state unit’s infighting could also be a problem for the party. “The internal strife within the BJP and the pressure of the allies for seat sharing is not creating the desired atmosphere,” he said.

The SP is, however, sticking to its PDA (Backward, Dalit and Minority) formula for the elections, he said.

Allies of the BJP have started lobbying tickets in the by-elections. On the occasion of the ninth foundation day of NDA ally Nishad Party, the party’s national president and UP fisheries minister Sanjay Nishad announced that the party had contested on its election symbol in Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar district) and Majhawan (Mirzapur district) seats in the 2022 assembly elections, and in the upcoming bypolls too, it will contest both seats.

The RLD has also intensified its demand for two seats. A RLD leader said that the party had won the Meerapur seat in 2022 and the party wants one more seat in the west.

Apna Dal (S) also wants to field its candidates in the bypolls. Party spokesperson Rajesh Srivastava told PTI that if the party gets a chance to contest the elections they will surely win.

The Election Commission has said that the by-election dates have not been decided yet due to bad weather and natural disasters, and as soon as the situation improves, elections will be held within six months.

According to the website, at present, in the 403-member UP Assembly, the Bharatiya Janata Party has 251 MLAs, its ally Apna Dal (S) has 13, Rashtriya Lok Dal has eight, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) has six and Nishad Party has five MLAs.

Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party has 105 MLAs, Congress has two, Jansatta Dal (Democratic) has two and Bahujan Samaj Party has one MLA.

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In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP and its allies dominated by securing 73 out of 80 seats in the state….reports Asian Lite News

The upcoming general election in Uttar Pradesh presents an intriguing shift as the SP-BSP alliance gives way to the SP-Congress pact within the INDIA bloc. Previously, the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party coalition offered some resistance to the BJP in specific regions of UP during the 2019 elections but fell short of significant impact. Now, with Mayawati’s BSP opting to contest independently, the onus falls on the SP and Congress to counter the formidable NDA, which has allied with the RLD and several caste-based regional parties in the Poorvanchal region.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP and its allies dominated by securing 73 out of 80 seats in the state. Although the opposition parties managed to increase their combined tally to 16 in 2019, the BJP maintained its stronghold, clinching 62 seats alongside two won by its ally Apna Dal (Sonelal).

The BJP’s stronghold was notably evident in western UP, where it secured 23 seats in 2019, contrasting sharply with the meager four seats each clinched by the SP-BSP alliance. The BSP secured victories in Saharanpur, Bijnor, Amroha, and Nagina (SC seat), while the SP triumphed in Sambhal, Moradabad, Mainpuri, and Rampur.

Central UP holds significant constituencies like Amethi and Rae Bareli, traditionally considered Congress bastions. In 2019, Sonia Gandhi retained her Rae Bareli seat, but Rahul Gandhi lost Amethi to Union Minister Smriti Irani. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh secured victory in Lucknow, while the BSP claimed only one seat, Ambedkarnagar, and the SP failed to secure any from this region.

The BJP dominated the central region with 13 seats, including the historic Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, central to the Ram Temple fervor that swept across the nation. Varanasi, represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other eastern constituencies witnessed BSP winning five seats, SP securing one, and Apna Dal (Sonelal) grabbing two.

Bundelkhand, swept by the BJP in 2019, saw victories in all four Lok Sabha seats. This region, long plagued by water scarcity, has seen the initiation of irrigation projects and improved access to safe drinking water. Furthermore, infrastructural developments like expressways and new airports have contributed to narrowing regional disparities across the state.

SP candidates

The Samajwadi Party (SP) has released the fifth list of its candidates in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on Saturday.

Dharmendra Yadav will contest from Azamgarh.

According to the list that has been released by the party, the other candidates include Mahendra Nagar from Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida), Manoj Kumar Raghvanshi from Misrikh, Bheem Nishad from Sultanpur, Jitendra Dohre from Etawah, and Narayan Das Ahriwar from Jalaun.

Earlier on Friday, the party released its fourth list of candidates, which included Yashveer Singh from Bijnor, Manoj Kumar from Nagina, Bhanu Pratap Singh from Meerut, Bijendra Singh from Aligarh, Jasveer Valmiki from Hathras, and Daroga Saroj from Lalganj.

The SP gave the Bhadohi Lok Sabha seat to the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

The SP has fielded Dimple Yadav, wife of former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav from Mainpuri and Shafiqur Rahman Barq from Sambhal and Ravidas Mehrotra from Lucknow.

Akshay Yadav has been fielded from Firozabad, while from Banda, the SP has fielded Shivshakar Singh Patel.

The Samajwadi Party will contest the Lok Sabha election in an alliance with the Congress in the politically crucial state that sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.

The Samajwadi Party and the Congress are partners in the INDIA bloc.

In the current Lok Sabha, the SP, which had fought in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in 2019, has three MPs while the BSP has 10 MPs.

According to party leader Ravidas Mehrotra, the Samajwadi Party will contest elections on 63 seats and Congress for 17 seats in Uttar Pradesh.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the dates for Lok Sabha and four state assembly elections on Saturday.

The general election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases starting April 19, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced on Saturday. The counting will be held on June 4.

Nearly 97 crore voters will be eligible to vote for 543 Lok Sabha constituencies across the country. With the announcement of dates, the moral code of conduct comes into force immediately. (with inputs from agencies)

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Yogi Adityanath mentioned the Krishna Janmabhoomi site in Mathura and the Kashi Vishwanath temple complex in Varanasi are the two other disputed lands that Hindus have been claiming…reports Asian Lite News

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said in Mahabharata, Krishna asked for five villages, but today the Hindu society is only asking for the three centres of their faith ‘Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura.’

Speaking at the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, CM Yogi said the Uttar Pradesh government got the privilege to have facilitated the Ayodhya Deepotsav, which became a national celebration.

“Ayodhya city was brought within the purview of prohibitions and curfews by the previous governments. For centuries, Ayodhya was cursed with ugly intentions. It faced a planned disdain. Such treatment to public sentiments was perhaps never seen anywhere else. Ayodhya faced injustice,” he said.

He further mentioned the Krishna Janmabhoomi site in Mathura and the Kashi Vishwanath temple complex in Varanasi are the two other disputed lands that Hindus have been claiming.

“Injustice was done to Ayodhya. When I talk about injustice, we remember something 5 thousand years old… Lord Shri Krishna asked (Duryodhan) for half (of the property), but if that was difficult, then give only five villages. He talked about 5 villages. But the Hindu society and faith here are talking about only three (Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura). These are the three places that are the centre of our faith,” he said.

“Duryodhana wo bhi de na saka, Ashish samaj ke le na saka. Ulte, Hari ko bandhe chala, jo tha asadhya, sadhne chala,” the Chief Minister quoted from Dinkar’s ‘Rashmirathi’. These lines from the poem in translation mean, Duryodhana couldn’t even give (those 5 villages) and get blessed. Instead, he sought to tame Hari, which was impossible.

“When I speak about injustice, we recall the 5000-year-old thing. Injustice was done even to the Pandavas at that time…That had happened with Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura,” CM Yogi said.

Quoting from Ramdhari Singh Dinkar’s ‘Rashmirathi’, Yogi Aditynath said, “At that time, Krishna had gone to the Kauravas and said, then give us just five villages, keep all the land you have. We will happily eat there.”

“Krishna had asked for five villages that time. Krishna had gone for an agreement. He asked for justice, even if it was half. But here, the society and its faith, for hundreds of years, was talking about three, just three,” Yogi Adityanath said, referring to the spots at Ayodhya, Mathura and Varanasi.

Speaking on the latest court order that allowed Hindus to pray at one of the sealed cellars, Vyasji ka Tehkhana, at the Gyanvapi site, Yogi Adityanath said, “When our Nandi Baba saw the festival of Ayodhya, he said why should he wait? He broke the barricades in the night. After this, how is our Krishna Kanhaiya going to listen to anyone?”

Adityanath blamed votebank politics for the situation. “When politics kicks in and votes are looked at, dispute begins,” he said.

“But when politics starts rising and there is vote politics, then the dispute arises… It was the first time in history that the majority had to plead. When all of this could have happened after independence itself,” he added.

Yogi govt to develop 17 major cities

n a bid to propel the adoption of solar energy across Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi government has unveiled plans to transform 17 major cities of the state into solar cities, alongside the revered cities of Ayodhya and Varanasi. Following the development of solar cities, the government will work towards building solar villages on the same pattern in the near future.

Of notable significance is the government’s efforts to establish Ayodhya as the state’s inaugural solar city.

“Progress in this endeavour is well underway, with significant strides witnessed in the installation of solar infrastructure. Concurrently, preparations are underway to inaugurate a large-scale solar plant in Varanasi, further cementing Uttar Pradesh’s status as a frontrunner in the solar energy sector,” the Chief Minister’s office said in a press release.

Answering a query in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, Energy Minister A K Sharma underscored the state’s commitment to solar energy advancement and revealed that Uttar Pradesh is poised to emerge as a leader in the solar energy domain, with initiatives already gaining momentum.

“Notably, Ayodhya stands at the forefront of these efforts, with the successful commencement of solar energy production. A remarkable 14 MW of solar energy is already being generated in Ayodhya, while an additional 40 MW capacity has already been installed and the production is poised to start soon”, he informed.

The Solar City project in Ayodhya encompasses the installation of over 2,500 solar-powered streetlights, underscoring the city’s commitment to sustainability. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated a solar boat in Ayodhya. Ayodhya also boasts solar-powered amenities such as ATMs and solar trees adorning its 40 intersections, epitomizing the city’s embrace of renewable energy solutions.

With Ayodhya blazing a trail in solar energy adoption, the focus now shifts to Varanasi, where plans are afoot to install rooftop solar plants across government buildings. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Varanasi is slated to witness the installation of 25,000 rooftop solar plants, positioning it as a beacon of solar innovation.

“As progress unfolds in Varanasi, efforts are underway to replicate the successful solar city model in 17 metropolitan cities statewide, drawing inspiration from the transformative initiatives witnessed in Ayodhya and Varanasi. Additionally, concerted endeavours are being made to extend solar infrastructure to rural areas, thereby democratizing access to clean energy solutions across Uttar Pradesh,” the press release further said. (ANI)

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