Assembly Polls 2022 Highlights: MHA constitutes committee to enquire into PM's security breach in Punjab

President Ram Nath Kovind has expressed concern over security breach during PM Narendra Modi's Punjab visit. PM Modi is likely to meet him. The Election Commission on Wednesday expressed concern over the slow pace of anti-Covid-19 vaccination in Manipur, where assembly polls would take place within the next few weeks along with Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Goa. Stay tuned for more updates.

MHA constitutes committee to enquire into PM's security breach in Punjab

PM's rally should have been postponed instead of levelling allegations against Punjab CM: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said it would have been better to gracefully postpone the Prime Minister's rally in Punjab knowing that rain had occurred and chairs were vacant on the venue instead of levelling allegations against Punjab CM and the government. (PTI)

These leaders will be missed in UP elections

These leaders were not only crowd-pullers for their parties but also represented vote banks that have the capacity of making and marring fortunes.

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Cong can't be forgiven for PM security breach: Rajnath

Holding the Congress government in Punjab responsible for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security breach on the way to Ferozepur, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday that the party cannot be forgiven for the serious lapse.

Singh said a prime minister represents the country and his office is an institution which everyone should respect.

"The Congress is in power in Punjab. Could we have imagined a security breach in the prime minister's convoy like the one that happened there yesterday (on Wednesday)?" he asked.

"If we cannot ensure safety of institutions like that of the prime minister, it would be difficult to prevent disintegration of the country's democratic institutions," Singh said addressing the BJP's concluding Vijay Sankalp rally in Uttarkashi.

EC reviews Covid situation in poll-bound states with health officials

The Election Commission on Thursday reviewed the current Covid situation in the five poll-bound states with Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, AIIMS Director, Dr Randeep Guleria, and ICMR chief Dr Balram Bhargava.

Five states scheduled for Assembly polls this year are Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab, and Manipur.

According to a source, the health experts have briefed the top Election Commission officials to focus majorly on virtual rallies, seeing the unprecedented rise in the Covid cases across the country. The need to ramp up the vaccination process was also emphasised.

The source said that the need to ensure complete vaccination of eligible population was stressed to the Health Secretary in the meeting.

Centre gathering information, to take tough decisions, says Thakur on PM security breach

Home ministry gathering information, will take big and tough decisions, says Anurag Thakur on security breach during PM Modi's Punjab visit

PM's security breach was conspired not just by Punjab but Delhi Congress as well: Punjab BJP

Yogi compares Yadav clan to Mahabharat characters

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday mounted a blistering attack on the Samajwadi Party, comparing the SP president's family with the Mahabharat characters.

"Kaka, mama, nana, bhatija -- you must have heard of them either in Mahabharat or between 2012 and 2017," he said.

"Before 2017, the recruitment charge in different departments was given to the family members. Some to uncles, some to brothers, and others to nephews. They are the reincarnated characters of Mahabharat who impeded Uttar Pradesh's progress by launching a war just like they did at the time of Mahabharat," said the chief minister while distributing appointment letters to the newly-selected naib tehsildars, lecturers and assistant teachers through the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission at Lok Bhavan in the state capital.

Many EDMC councillors test Covid positive

At least five ward councillors in East Delhi Municipal Corporation have tested positive for Covid-19, sources said on Thursday.

Also, East Delhi Mayor Shyam Sunder Aggarwal on Wednesday was diagnosed with coronavirus infection, and is currently under home isolation.

Delhi is currently reporting a fresh surge in coronavirus cases, amid a scare of latest Omicron variant, which is highly transmissible.

"As of now, five EDMC councillors have tested positive for Covid," a source said.

Mayor Aggarwal, however, said, the number could be a bit higher, as many other councillors have also "reported sick" or " have symptoms".

UP Polls: A tough electoral battle in caste ridden 'Poorvanchal'

The politically crucial 'Poorvanchal'(eastern) region of Uttar Pradesh appears to be heading for a tough electoral battle in the forthcoming assembly polls in the state with the BJP and its main rival Samajwadi Party (SP) striving hard to expand their base beyond their core vote bank.

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Explained: PM's security detail and the SPG

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security was compromised for nearly 20 minutes on Wednesday in Punjab’s Ferozepur when his cavalcade was stranded on a flyover due to a protest.The incident snowballed into a political controversy with the BJP accusing the Charanjit Singh Channi-led government and the Congress party of trying to “physically harm” India’s Prime Minister. Read more

UP polls: Plummeting economic growth versus Hindutva

Ignore the huge cutouts, giant hoardings, paid supplements in newspapers and endless ads on TV news channels showing images of the transformation that has taken place in Uttar Pradesh under the not so benign leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his saffron-robed protégé, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Read more

Central, Punjab government trying to defend themselves, says Rakesh Tikait

The Central government says that there was a security lapse and the Punjab government says that Prime Minister did not go there because chairs in his rally were empty. Both are only trying to defend themselves. The Prime Minister should not have gone there, says BKU leader Rakesh Tikait.

Didn't actually believe PM Modi was travelling by road, says protesting farmer in Punjab

BKU (Krantikari) chief Surjit Singh Phool said they thought that SSP's request the clear the roads was a ploy by the BJP to stop them from protesting.

Venkaiah Naidu speaks to PM Modi over security lapse during Punjab visit

President Ram Nath Kovind has expressedconcern over security breach during PM Narendra Modi's Punjab visit. PM Modi is likely to meet him, according to PTI.

AIMIM to host conference on status of Muslims in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) will host a conference on 'Muslims in UP - Development, security and inclusion', in Lucknow on Friday. Read more

Punjab BJP requests Governor to suspend Home Minister, DGP over PM Modi's security breach

Uttarakhand HC asks EC if virtual rallies, online voting viable options

The Uttarakhand High Court has asked the Election Commission of India whether it is possible to hold election rallies virtually and online voting in the upcoming state assembly polls.A division bench of the High Court comprising acting Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar Misra and Justice N S Dhanik posed the question to the EC while hearing a PIL on Wednesday seeking postponement of the upcoming Assembly polls in Uttarakhand in view of the rising cases of COVID-19 and its latest variant Omicron. (PTI)

5 SP workers booked over ruckus at Modi's Kanpur event

The Kanpur police have invoked Gangster Act against five former Samajwadi Party workers and their three aides, accused of plotting a ruckus during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally on December 28. Read more

Goa Congress leader Rakhi Prabhudessai Naik joins TMC

Punjab CM expresses regret after PM Modi cuts short visit, denies security lapse

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday expressed regret after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to cut short his visit to the state, but asserted that there was no security lapse. Read more

Congress tried to harm the Prime Minister of India: Smriti Irani

Union minister and senior BJP leader Smriti Irani on Wednesday said that the Congress tried to harm the Prime Minister of India. She was addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security breach during his Punjab visit. Read more

EC conveys concern over low Covid-19 vaccination coverage in Manipur ahead of assembly polls

The Election Commission on Wednesdayexpressed concern over the slow paceofanti-Covid-19 vaccination inManipur,whereassembly polls would take place within the next few weeks along with Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Goa.

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BJP leaders slam breach of PM Modi's security in Punjab, demand apology

Senior BJP leaders on Wednesday slammed the Congress party for the security breach in prime minister Narendra Modi’s cavalcade in Congress-ruled Punjab, and demanded that the party apologises for the breach.

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