Assembly Polls 2022 Highlights: Sidhu has no brains, says Punjab ex-CM Amarinder Singh

Last-minute defections and seat-sharing alliances are the order of the day in the five states that are bound for polls. With the Election Commission of India extending the ban on physical rallies till January 31, political parties are leaving no stone unturned in reaching out to voters. The SP is holding multiple virtual rallies every day, while senior BJP leader Amit Shah hit the road for a door-to-door campaign to woo voters. Stay tuned on DH for the latest updates.

Sidhu has no brains, says Punjab ex-CM Amarinder Singh

Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday claimed that the state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu has “no brains” and he had advised party president Sonia Gandhi five years ago not to induct “this incompetent man" in the party.

The former CM also said despite getting inputs of the involvement of present CM Charanjit Singh Channi and some other Congress leaders in illegal sand mining in the state, he did not act against them out of his "sense of loyalty to the party" and also because he did not get a "go-ahead" from Sonia Gandhi.

UP polls: Anurag Thakur targets SP over its free electricity promise

In the run-up to the assembly election in Uttar Pradesh, Union minister and BJP leader Anurag Thakur on Sunday targeted the Samajwadi Party over its promise of providing 300 units of electricity free to domestic consumers, saying under the party-led government power cables were used to hang clothes to dry.

The Union Information and Broadcasting Minister took part in a party campaign in Hazratganj area of the state capital.

"Getting electricity for 300 hours a month was difficult in his regime, but now he is talking about giving 300 units of free electricity. This raises doubts," he said, targeting SP president Akhilesh Yadav.

Power cables were used to hang clothes during the previous SP regime, he said.

BJP eyeing 2/3rd majority in Manipur; Open to post-poll alliance if required: CM Biren Singh

Confident of retaining power in upcoming assembly elections, Manipur's first BJP Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Sunday asserted that his party will double its tally this time and is trying hard to get a two-third majority on its own and said a post-poll alliance can also be forged if it is required.

He also said that Congress, the main opposition party in his state, is on the decline not only in Manipur but the entire North-East and that he was confident about the five-year performance of his government finding favour with the electorate.

The Bhartiya Janata Party had formed a government in 2017 despite having just 21 seats compared to Congress's 28 by joining hands with two local parties - NPP and NPF. Later, BJP's own strength increased to 30 after some MLAs defected from Congress and other parties.

UP polls: BJP MLA Jitendra Verma resigns from party days after being denied ticket

Ahead of the first-phase polling in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP MLA from Agra's Fatehabad constituency, Jitendra Verma, resigned from the party and said that he has joined the Samajwadi Party.

Verma's name did not figure in the list of candidates released by the BJP for the first phase of elections. He was replaced by Chhotelal Verma.

In his two-line resignation letter sent to Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh, Verma wrote, "I am resigning from the primary membership of the BJP. Kindly accept it."

Speaking toPTI, he said, "There are many reasons why I left the BJP. Even 15 days after I was denied ticket, the party leadership did not talk to me. I have joined the Samajwadi Party and I will not contest this election."

BJP micro-donation campaign will encourage culture of public participation in politics: Nadda

The BJP's micro-donation campaign will encourage the culture of public participation in politics by giving people a sense of ownership in the party, its president JP Nadda said on Sunday.

Addressing BJP Yuva Morcha workers virtually, Nadda said the campaign is a massive step towards transparent governance and self-sufficiency within the party.

Last year on December 25, which is the birth anniversary of BJP stalwart and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the party had launched a "special micro-donation campaign", seeking to raise funds through small contributions from its members and others.

Several BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, made donations and urged others to contribute.

Desertion of OBC ministers, MLAs will have no impact on BJP's UP poll prospects: Keshav Maurya

UP polls: Amit Shah rakes up 'hindu exodus' issue again

Union home minister Amit Shah once again raked up the issue of alleged 'exodus' of Hindu families from Kairana in Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh during the previous Samajwadi Party (SP) regime barely days ahead of the first phase of polling in the western Uttar Pradesh and appealed to the electorate to vote in the name of prime minister Narendra Modi and Bharat Mata.

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Goa polls: After quitting BJP, ex-CM Laxmikant Parsekar says he will contest as independent

Punjab minister Rana Gurjeet campaigns for son contesting against Congress candidate

Punjab minister Rana Gurjeet Singh launched an aggressive campaign for his son Rana Inder Partap Singh who is contesting the state assembly elections as an Independent candidate against ruling Congress's nominee Navtej Singh Cheema.

The Cabinet minister started campaigning for Inder Partap from Bussowal, the native village of Cheema, on January 21, claiming that his son would be elected by the voters of Sultanpur Lodhi seat. Rana Gurjeet campaigned for Inder Pratap in villages falling under the constituency on Sunday.

Four Punjab Congress leaders, including Cheema, on Tuesday shot off a letter to party's national president Sonia Gandhi, seeking Rana Gurjeet's expulsion from the party alleging that he was "weakening" it ahead of the assembly polls. The Congress has fielded the minister from Kapurthala constituency.

Punjab polls: BJP-led alliance will field Sikh candidates on about 70 seats

Eyeing to expand its base in Punjab, the BJP will nominate Sikh candidates on more than half of the total seats it will contest in next month's assembly polls, its general secretary Tarun Chugh said on Saturday.

Speaking on the BJP-led alliance, which comprises the Punjab Lok Congress and the SAD (Sanyukt), he said it is expected that most of its candidates for the February 20 polls to the 117-member assembly will be from the Sikh community, especially farmers and OBCs.

The BJP may also explore the option of announcing a chief ministerial face for the alliance, Chugh said.

Sources said that the BJP is likely to contest on 65 out of the total 117 assembly seats in Punjab, while its allies the Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress is expected to contest 38 seats and SAD (Sanyukt) 14.

SP seeks ban on opinion polls

The Samajwadi Party has written to the Election Commission, seeking a ban on opinion polls. In a letter sent to the EC on Sunday, state SP president Naresh Uttam Patel has said that the election dates have been announced and the election process has begun.

He said that various news channels are coming out with opinion polls which can mislead voters.

The SP leader has urged the EC to immediately ban opinion polls which are also a violation of the model code of conduct.

Yogi Adityanath holds door to door election campaign in the Mohan Nagar area of Ghaziabad (ANI)

Amarinder Singh announces Punjab Lok Congress' first list for Punjab polls

SAD fields Baljit Singh from Baba Bakala seat

The Shiromani Akali Dal on Sunday announced that it will field former MLA Baljit Singh Jalalusma from Baba Bakala seat in Amritsar district for next month's Punjab Assembly polls.

Voting for Punjab's 117 assembly seats will be held on February 20 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10.

“SAD President Sukhbir S Badal has announced former MLA Baljit Singh Jalalusma as party candidate from Baba Bakala. Total declared 95,” said party leader Daljit Singh Cheema in a tweet.

With this, the party has so far declared 95 candidates.It is yet to announce candidates for Lambi and Amritsar East seat.

FIR lodged against Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu's advisor Mohammad Mustafa. He was also former DGP of Punjab

Satyendar Jain challenges BJP to send I-T, other agencies along with ED, takes dig at Channi

Goa polls: Hit hard by defections, Cong makes its candidates take pledge of party loyalty

Ahead of the next month's Goa Assembly elections, the Congress, which was hit hardest by defections in the BJP-ruled state in the last five years, made its candidates swear before God that they will not switch the party if they get elected. The Congress on Saturday took all its 34 candidates in a special bus to a temple, a church as well as a dargah in the state and made them take the 'anti-defection' pledge.

Kejriwal takes shot at Channi

After claiming that the BJP is playing tricks with national agencies, Kejriwal also took a shot at Channi by saying that they will not "cry" like the Punjab CM (over ED raids at his relative's residences), but come out as innocent parties.

'BJP scared of losing polls'

AAP's national convener Arvind Kejriwal claims that the Enforcement Directorate is going to arrest Satyendar Jain ahead of Punjab polls at the behest of BJP. "The BJP is afraid of losing polls," he said.

BSP releases list of campaigners for UP polls

SP releases list of star campaigners, including Mulayam Singh Yadav, for virtual rallies

Can make schools 'top class', generate jobs, say Kejriwal and Mann

Elaborating on the ads across the state over higher education in countries such as Canada, New Zealand and USA, Mann questions why there can't be access to good education in the state. He says that the AAP "will help revive Punjab" in such fields.

'I'm a son of Punjab, my personal life does not matter'

AAP's Bhagwant Mann dismisses concerns of videos and said that his personal life should not distract from his political career. Kejriwal, meanwhile, takes on the Badals and opposition parties, claiming illegal works, including running buses till Delhi.

Harish Rawat faces challenges within Congress, besides BJP, to become next Uttarakhand CM

The Congress has appointed Harish Rawat as chairman of the campaign committee and he is spearheading the campaign. He is seen as the natural claimant for the top post if the party comes to power but he is facing challenges from his detractors within the party.

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Azad Samaj Party set to field murder, extortion suspect from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh polls

The list of 33 candidates released by Azad Samaj Party (ASP) leader Chandra Shekhar includes Bhupendra Bafar, a man charged with murders and extortion in western Uttar Pradesh.Bafar, 60, is facing 18 cases of murder, loot, extortion, in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. He is currently out on bail.

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IT companies stayed away from Uttar Pradesh due to SP's terror: Anurag Thakur

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday targeted Akhilesh Yadav, saying for the Samajwadi Party chief IT stands for ''Income from Terror", and mafias like Mukhtar Ansari, Atiq Ahmed and Nahid Hasan are its "brand ambassadors."

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Channi, Majithia trade barbs

Senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Saturday attacked Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and the Congress over ED raids at Channi's nephew's residence. He also accused Channi of being involved in illegal sand mining in his constituency Chamkaur Sahib in Rupnagar district and demanded a CBI probe into it.

Meanwhile, Channi called Majithia's allegations "baseless and frivolous" and dared him to present proof of his claims.

Over 32,000 liquor bottles seized in Patiala

Ahead of thepolls, an unauthorised stock of over 32,000 bottles of liquor was seized by a joint team of the Punjab excise department and police in a raid at three residential locations in Patiala, officials said on Saturday. As many as 2,718 cases of liquor (12 bottles per case) were recovered.

Shah meets exodus-affected families in Kairana, says BJP govt is a must to end appeasement

Putting into the spotlight the issue of alleged exodus of Hindus from Kairana before 2017, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday visited the affected families who have since returned here as he began his door-to-door election campaign in western Uttar Pradesh.

36 MLAs changed parties in UP, 24 in Goa: Report

Thirty-six MLAs in Uttar Pradesh have changed sides over a period of time with the main Opposition Samajwadi Party being the biggest beneficiary with 24 of them.

Congress names 53 in first list for Uttarakhand; Decision on Harish Rawat's seat later

Congress on Saturday night announced the first list of 53 candidates for the Uttarakhand Assembly elections but the name of former Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who is leading the campaign, was missing, apparently due to a delay in deciding on his seat.