Dalit Man Sets Himself On Fire After Being Beaten By Employer In UP's Firozabad

On July 6, Kamalkant asked his employer, Pramod alias Pappu, for Rs 60,000 in advance to repay some loan, police said

Dalit Man Sets Self On Fire After Beating By Employer In UP's Firozabad: Cops

A 20-year-old, Dalit man allegedly died by suicide by setting himself on fire here after he was beaten by his employer and his associates, police said on Saturday.

Hathras Stampede: Bodies on ice blocks, kin wait for autopsy; others look for missing loved ones

HATHRAS: Scores of bodies were lying on blocks of ice inside the government hospital here on Tuesday night in the aftermath of the deadly stampede at a religious congregation, as the wailing relatives of the victims waited outside in drizzle to take mortal remains back home. Officials have put the death toll at 116 - 108 of them women and seven children. The victims were part of the crowd of thousands that had gathered near Phulrai village in the Sikandrarau area for the 'satsang' by religious preacher Bhole Baba. The stampede took place at around 3.30 pm when Baba was leaving the venue. Outside Sikandra Rao Community Health Centre, the closest healthcare facility from the stampede site, many continued searching for their missing family members late into the night. 117 dead, scores injured in stampede at religious congregation in UP Rajesh, who lives in Kasganj district, said he was looking for his mother, while Shivam searched for his paternal aunt (bua). Both carried mobile phones in their hands showing pictures of their relatives. I watched my mother's picture on a news channel and recognised her. She had come for the programme here along with two dozen other people from our village, Rajesh said. Anshu and Pabal Kumar waited near the CHC in their small pick-up truck, loaded with empty milk containers, hoping to find Gopal Singh, 40, the missing father of their cousin. He went for the programme but hasn't returned home yet. He is not street smart, doesn't even carry a phone, Anshu told PTI. He said Singh was not a follower of Baba but had gone to the event for the first time on the insistence of an acquaintance. Meena Devi, who lost her mother Sudama Devi (65), said, It was drizzling in the area (Sadiqpur) where I live, otherwise I had planned to go to the 'sangat' with my mother. An inconsolable Meena sat outside the TB department of the Bagla Combined District Hospital where scores of bodies were kept on the ground floor. My brother and sister-in-law, their kids had accompanied my mother to the 'Sangat'. In the crowd, my mother got left behind and was crushed over, she told PTI. Vinod Kumar Suryavanshi, who lives in Barse village in the Sasni Tehsil, lost his 72-year-old maternal aunt while his mother luckily survived. I have been here for three hours. The body is still here and I have been told it will go for post-mortem now but I am not sure how much more time it will take, he said as he waited for his aunt's son who was arriving here from Greater Noida. Suryavanshi said his aunt and mother have been following the Baba's sermons for around 15 years now and described the stampede as unfortunate. A number of bodies were kept at the district hospital here. Some were at the trauma centre in Sikandrarau area near the incident spot while some others were sent to the government hospital in the adjoining Etah district. My mother's body is here but I'm unable to get an ambulance to take it for post-mortem, said Rajesh, wearing a face mask as he made frantic inquires with police officials on duty inside the TB department. Meanwhile, workers and volunteers of the RSS and the Bajrang Dal also remained at the hospital since the afternoon, distributing water packets and offering guidance on medical procedures to relatives of victims, many of whom were in shock and struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. The number of ambulances was inadequate for the bodies we have seen here today, Aniket, a Bajrang Dal volunteer, told PTI while standing guard at the gate of the TB Department building, drenched in sweat. Earlier in the day, heartbreaking scenes unfolded outside the district's Sikandara Rao Trauma Centre, where victims, dead or unconscious, were brought in ambulances, trucks and cars. A woman sat crying among five or six bodies in a truck, urging people to help her get the body of her daughter out of the vehicle. There are almost 100-200 casualties and there was only one doctor at the hospital. There was no facility for oxygen. Some are still breathing but there are no proper treatment facilities, an agitated youth said outside the hospital. Eyewitness Shakuntala Devi told PTI Videos that the stampede took place while people were leaving the venue at the end of the 'satsang'. Outside, there was a road built on a height over a drain. People fell atop each other, she said. A second eyewitness, Sonu Kumar, said there were at least 10,000 people at the venue and when Baba was leaving, many of them rushed to touch his feet. As they were returning, people slipped and fell over one another as parts of the ground had turned boggy with water overflowing from a nearby drain, he added. Another person who had left the venue before the programme ended said the arrangements made were inadequate for the size of the crowd gathered at the venue. Sanding outside the mortuary in Etah, Kailash said people fell on top of each other due to the slippery mud and the crowd coming from behind crushed them. Santosh, who went to Hathras from Firozabad to attend the 'satsang', told reporters, I went to Satsang with my sister. Hari ji came at around noon. It concluded at 1.30 o'clock I took prasad in the pandal with my sister. When we came out, we saw that everyone ran for darshan. There was a drain nearby, and some people fell in it. He said that the number of police personnel at the site was relatively less. Agra's additional director general of police and Aligarh divisional commissioner are part of a team that would probe into the incident, the state government said. The team has been asked to give its report in 24 hours. Speaking to media persons, District Magistrate Ashish Kumar said it was a private function for which the permission was granted by the sub-divisional magistrate. The local administration provided security outside the venue while the internal arrangement was to be looked after by the organisers, he added. The Uttar Pradesh government said an FIR will be registered against the organisers of the programme. Hathras stampede: Who is Bhole Baba, the preacher?

Riverside respite

UTTAR PRADESH: In an area once known for its difficult, deserted terrain and notorious for being a haven for outlaws and miscreants, a remarkable transformation has taken place. This barren land, now emerging as a green oasis, owes its revival to the diligence and vision of Vikas Nayak, an IFS officer of the 2019 batch. Vikas Nayak, a dedicated Indian Forest Service officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, saw potential in the ravines of Firozabad, a region along the banks of the Yamuna. These ravines, once a breeding ground for outlaws, are now being transformed into an eco-hub featuring wood huts, geo treks, a butterfly park, and more. The motive was to offer immersive experiences to visitors who could appreciate nature and be inspired to conserve it as well, says Nayak, who hails from neighboring Rajasthan. Situated near Shikohabad in the Firozabad district, about 50-60 km from the Taj City of Agra, the land next to the Yamuna River was a rough, deserted patch with dying biodiversity. This spurred Nayak to conserve and rejuvenate it. He began working on his concept in 2023, and within 11 months, the barren land had transformed into the Rapdi Ecotourism Centre. The aim was not only to rescue the biodiversity of the place but also to promote responsible or conscious tourism, explains Nayak. The ecotourism facility now boasts hundreds of trees, wooden huts, boats, a butterfly park, and diverse bird species. Nayaks vision was to create a unique destination. On getting posted as DFO in Firozabad, I realized that the locals were not very active in conservation. While patrolling one morning, I stumbled upon this piece of land with great potential. The land reminded me of the ravines depicted in the Bollywood biopic Paan Singh Tomar. I decided to turn it into something worthwhile and different, recalls Nayak. The project, which began in March 2023, culminated in February 2024 and opened to the public in April 2024. We are in touch with tour operators in Agra to extend tours to Firozabad. We also target foreign tourists visiting Agra, shares Nayak. The eco-tourism hub offers a variety of activities and attractions, including geo treks, wooden cottages, speed boating, bird watching spots, cave explorations, and a cafeteria. Nayak emphasizes that the project goes beyond his official duties, incorporating features resembling hillside terrain and establishing butterfly spots for educational purposes. Community participation was crucial. Nayak set up a Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) involving Rapdi village residents. JFMC was essential for ensuring the projects sustainability and management after completion. Engaging locals helps in better upkeep, wildlife rescue, and biodiversity conservation, while also supporting community growth, he explains. Revenue from the project is shared equally between the State government and the JFMC. I think through this project, we have created a source of revenue not only for the state government but also for the local community. It has become a site of employment generation in the area, he shares. Specific habitats for birds and butterflies were established, and more trees were planted to create the hub without disrupting the existing biodiversity. Besides creating an attractive destination for tourists, Nayak aimed to raise awareness about eco and responsible tourism among the locals. The facility, now bustling with activity, saw a footfall of 1,100 on its first day. Local community participation has opened various opportunities such as running the canteen, cafeteria, parking facilities, and managing entry fees, says Nayak. Additionally, hospitality training was provided to local youth, including guidance on food service and interaction during nature treks to ensure quality visitor service. The center is being developed as a 100% plastic-free zone. We are also working with SHGs to source local art pieces like jute bags and wooden crafts to sell as souvenirs, says Nayak. As a responsible tourist, one must recognise their carbon footprint and minimise environmental impact. Ecotourism is all about the sustainability and its amalgamation with nature, he says. Nayak plans to expand the existing facilities, introducing initiatives such as a plant library to provide information about various plant species, allowing visitors to deepen their botanical awareness. Unique eco-hub Humming with a plethora of activities besides the biodiversity and lush greenery, the eco-tourism hub boasts a geo trek, wooden cottages for visitors to stay, boat rides, bird watching haunts, and cave explorations tours. The oasis incorporates elevated features resembling hillside terrain, and adventurous and serene trekking activities for exploring the arid ravines in the region where visitors can learn about the forest and river ecosystems.

FIR lodged against 95 over violence in Firozabad inmate death case

Police have lodged an FIR against 45 named and 50 unidentified accused for rioting over the death of a prisoner lodged in the Firozabad jail, an official said on Saturday. A 25-year-old Dalit man remanded in judicial custody on charges of theft died in a hospital, where he was taken on Friday after his condition deteriorated in the prison. The family members of Akash, the victim, alleged that he died after being beaten by the police. His post-mortem was completed on Friday and, while taking the body back, some people attacked the police and vandalised police vehicles, the official said. Inspector General of Police (Agra zone) Deepak Kumar has been camping in Firozabad since Friday to ensure law and order. Superintendent of Police (City) Sarvesh Kumar Mishra said 45 people have been named and 50 others made accused in the violence and rioting case. The police personnel, including sub-inspector Devesh Kumar, injured in the mob violence have been medically examined. The situation is

Mayawati Demands Justice for Dalit Inmate's Death

Mayawati Demands Justice for Dalit Inmate's Death Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati has called for stringent measures against policemen deemed responsible following the death of a Dalit inmate in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad district. Mayawati, in a post on X, expressed her sorrow over the tragic incident and demanded comprehensive assistance for the victim's family. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also urged authorities to immediately release the individuals who protested the incident and withdraw any charges filed against them. Her remarks follow the death of 25-year-old inmate Akash, who passed away at the district hospital after his condition worsened. The situation escalated when locals, angered by Akash's death, intercepted the ambulance carrying his body and protested near his home. This led to clashes with the police, during which stones were thrown, and a motorcycle was set on fire. Law enforcement had to use mild force to disperse the crowd.

Man Dies After Condition Deteriorates in Firozabad Jail; Protestors Pelt Stone at Cops, Torch Vehicle

Yogendra Singh, SHO of Firozabad South police station, said Akash was arrested on a theft charge for allegedly stealing the motorcycle on Tuesday

Protestors pelt stone at police after man dies in Firozabad jail

The SP said a detailed investigation is underway into the inmate's death

Protest Erupts Over Inmate's Death in Firozabad

Protest Erupts Over Inmate's Death in Firozabad In Firozabad, local residents erupted in a violent protest after the death of a 25-year-old inmate named Akash. The protest saw stone-pelting and vehicles being set ablaze. According to Superintendent of Police Saurabh Dixit, Akash was in custody for allegedly stealing a motorcycle. Following his arrest, Akash's health worsened, leading to his admission at the district hospital where he ultimately died during treatment. As Akash's family transported his body home, angered locals intercepted the ambulance, demanding justice. The situation escalated, forcing the police to employ mild force to disperse the crowd. While reports suggest injuries on both sides, official confirmation is pending. Senior police officers, including IG Zone Agra Deepak Kumar, are closely monitoring the development, with a thorough investigation currently underway.

Glass bangle industry faces crisis amidst rising temperatures

FIROZABAD: The next time you see glass bangles shimmering delicately on a woman's wrist or glittering in a shop, think of climate change. This link is neither unlikely nor far-fetched but a living reality for lakhs of workers bearing the brunt of rising temperatures, which, combined with furnace heat, result in multiple health complications. For generations, artisans in the famed 'City of Glass' have braved the heat of furnaces to mold glass into bangles. However, the new adversary in already perilous working conditions is climate change, impacting the future of the Rs 1,000 crore industry that employs five lakh people. Bangles are crafted through a meticulous process that begins with melting glass. Molten glass is frawn into thin tubes, cooled, and cut into the desired lengths, which are then reheated and shaped around a mandrel to form circles. Aastha Dev, who has been working in the traditional industry where the skill of molding glassinto bangles has been passed down from generations, has been hospitalised twice in the last month after repeated dehydration and isn't sure how long her health will hold out. It's like working in an inferno, the 35-year-old told PTI . Earlier, the heat was something we could manage, but now, with the temperatures outside also climbing, it's become unbearable. Many of us fall sick, but we have no choice but to continue working. But for how much longer? The bangle factories, predominantly small-scale units, lack proper ventilation and cooling systems. During peak summer months, temperatures inside these workshops can soar above 50 degrees Celsius. When outside temperatures themselves cross 45 degrees Celsius with a heat index of 50 degrees Celsius, as in this unprecedented summer, the situation becomes impossibly exacerbated. Workers often suffer from heat exhaustion, dehydration, and other heat-related illnesses. Artisans in the famed 'City of Glass' have braved the heat of furnaces to mold glass into bangles. By midday, it feels like I'm suffocating. My head spins, and my skin burns. We drink a lot of water, but it's never enough. There are days when I feel like I might just collapse, said 22-year-old Rajesh Kumar. Some days, we have to take breaks just to catch our breath. It's especially hard for older people working with us and those with underlying health issues, he added. Kamlesh, a 50-year-old diabetic who works in the furnace of the bangle factory, is one such person. Many of us have been hospitalized due to dehydration. In hospitals, we are just given saline drips, and we bear the cost on our own. I earn Rs 300 per day. How can we pay medical bills with that income? he said. The situation is particularly dire for women workers who make up a significant portion of the workforce. They often endure longer hours and more physically demanding tasks, including designing, painting, and embossing each bangle at specific temperatures. There are many cases of workers fainting. We take turns to step out just to breathe, but even outside it is so hot that it is barely a relief. Summers have always been difficult, but this year almost all of us are battling one or another ailment related to heat, Reena, who has been working in the industry for a decade, told PTI. The claustrophobic glass workshops of Firozabad might seem many worlds removed from macro global forecasts of heat warming. But they are clearly not. Climate change and the El Nio phenomenon have greatly contributed to this extreme heat across Asia, including India, according to the World Weather Attribution group. World Weather Attribution uses weather observations and climate models to understand how climate change influences the intensity and likelihood of extreme weather events. In 2024, global heat records were broken every month. This trend began with the warmest January on record since 1850, continued with the hottest March, and now May 2024 is set to become the 12th consecutive month of record-breaking temperatures. Health experts have voiced concerns over the long-term implications for the glass workers. Prolonged exposure to such extreme temperatures can lead to chronic health conditions like cardiovascular disease and asthma, among others, said Dr. Sajid Ahmed, a local physician who frequently treats workers from the bangle factories. We're seeing an increase in cases of heat stroke, respiratory issues, and severe dehydration. It is alarming, he said. The bangle factories, predominantly small-scale units, lack proper ventilation and cooling systems. Factory owners acknowledge the harsh conditions but feel constrained by economic pressures. Some factory owners said they are experimenting with basic cooling solutions like installing fans and improving hydration facilities. But the industry is such that it demands the heat as glass can melt only at a particular temperature, so it will be that hot. We know it's tough for the workers, admitted Omkar Singh, who owns the Natraj bangle factory. The nature of the industry is such that these workers have to work near furnaces, near heat. We have a cold water supply for them, he said. How far these measures go in actually ameliorating the problems is debatable. We need more substantial support from the government and larger industry stakeholders. Subsidies for better equipment, health check-ups, and education on heat management can make a significant difference, said Ramesh Singh, a bangle factory worker and labor union worker. Recent studies have highlighted the impact of climate change on traditional industries like Firozabad's glass industry. According to a study by the International Labour Organization (ILO), workers in industries relying on high heat processes are at a higher risk of heat-related health issues as global temperatures rise. The ILO projected in its 2019 report that India could lose 5.8 percent of working hours, equivalent to 34 million full-time jobs, due to global warming by 2030. This productivity loss will impact income and livelihoods, particularly for informal workers who are most vulnerable to extreme heat. India's northern, northwestern, and central regions are enduring an intense heatwave, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing red alerts for several cities in the region. According to the IMD, a heatwave occurs when the maximum temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 30 degrees in hilly areas, and 37 degrees in coastal regions, with an increase of at least 4.5 degrees above the normal maximum temperature. The IMD has warned of a very high likelihood of developing heat illness and heatstroke in all age groups

Glass bangle industry faces new adversary - climate change

The traditional glass bangle industry in Firozabad, known as the 'City of Glass,' is facing severe challenges due to climate change. The ring temperatures exacerbate health risks for the five lakh workers employed in the Rs 1,000 crore industry. Workers endure extreme heat in poorly ventilated workshops, leading to heat-related illnesses, dehydration, and hospitalisations. There is an urgent need for support and interventions to protect their health and livelihoods.

UP: 3 die, 2 injured as car collides with tractor-trolley

Etah (UP), June 16 (UNI) Three people died and two were injured when a car in a bid to overtake collided with a tractor-trolley in the Rijor area of Etah district here in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, a senior official said. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), some persons from Shikohabad in Firozabad district had gone... The post UP: 3 die, 2 injured as car collides with tractor-trolley first appeared on Central India's Premier English Daily .

Bus overturns as driver dozes off, 3 pilgrims killed

Two women and a child died, 46 injured as bus from Vaishno Devi overturns on Agra-Lucknow expressway in Firozabad at 3am on Saturday.

Firozabad: Man was marrying two women at same mandap, the reason will SHOCK you!

A strange marriage has come to light from Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad district. Police have arrested a man for marrying two women at the same mandap.

Yadav Clan Dominates Lok Sabha: Dimple Yadav Wins Big

Yadav Clan Dominates Lok Sabha: Dimple Yadav Wins Big Dimple Yadav, wife of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, has triumphed in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency. Election Commission figures reveal that Dimple defeated BJP's Jaiveer Singh by a significant margin of 2,21,639 votes, securing 5,98,526 votes overall. The Samajwadi Party's (SP) strategy to field five Yadav family members has paid off, with Akhilesh Yadav leading Subrat Pathak of the BJP by 1,70,076 votes in Kannauj. Meanwhile, Dharmendra Yadav is ahead by 1,61,035 votes in Azamgarh against BJP's Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua'. Further strengthening the clan's hold, Ram Gopal Yadav's son Akshay Yadav, and Shivpal Yadav's son Aditya Yadav are leading in Firozabad and Badaun by 89,312 and 35,252 votes respectively. This robust performance highlights the Yadav family's influence in UP politics.

UP springs surprise as leads show major reverses for NDA, Smriti Irani trailing

LUCKNOW: India's most populous state Uttar Pradesh with 80 Lok Sabha seats has sprung a major surprise with the INDIA bloc taking a lead in 44 seats leaving the ruling NDA behind at 34. While prominent BJP faces including PM Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have gained a respectable lead in their respective constituencies of Varanasi and Lucknow, at least four Union Ministers -- Smriti Irani, Ajay Mishra Teni, Sanjeev Baliyan and Kaushal Kishore -- are trailing. On the other hand, early trends show the Congress leading in at least seven seats -- Rae Bareli, Amethi, Saharanpur, Sitapur, Fatehpur Sikri, Allahabad and Amroha. Similarly, putting up a robust fight based on its PDA (Pichhda, Dalit and Alpsankhyak) plank, the Samajwadi Party is leading in 34 seats breaching major saffron forts like Lakhimpur Kheri, Muzaffarnagar, Ballia, Basti, Mohanlalganj etc. besides taking a comfortable lead in four of its family bastions including Kannauj, Mainpuri, Azamgarh and Firozabad. The SP, however, is trailing in Badaun where the son of Shivpal Yadav is in fray against the BJP candidate. The early trends show a dismal show by the BJP allies including the Apna Dal (S), SBSP and NISHAD, which are trailing in their respective constituencies. The BJP had fielded candidates in 75 seats, leaving five for its smaller allies. Within the INDIA bloc, the Samajwadi Party contested 62 seats, Congress 17 seats and the Trinamool Congress one seat. LIVE UPDATES | Lok Sabha polls results: BJP remains below majority mark; Congress, SP and TMC lead INDIA bloc response

Firozabad Election Result 2024 Live Updates: Counting of Votes Starts Today

Firozabad Election Result Live Updates: Get all the latest news and updates on Lok Sabha elections 2024 results on The Quint.

LS poll results: Focus on UP's high-profile seats; NDA Aims for '80 paar', INDIA plans to play spoiler

LUCKNOW: After an intense seven-phase general election, the stage is set in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh for vote counting on June 4. All eyes are on high-profile candidates like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani as well as opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav. While the ruling BJP contested the polls with allies Apna Dal (Sonelal), NISHAD party, Rashtriya Lok Dal and the Om Prakash Rajbhar-led SBSP (Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party), opposition INDIA bloc partners Samajwadi Party and the Congress fought together. The Congress is looking to regain lost ground in the state that sends the largest number of members to the Lok Sabha. Uttar Pradesh: 56% turnout in high-profile 13 constituencies Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP chief JP Nadda and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held poll rallies and roadshows across several parliamentary constituencies in the state as campaigning picked up. Similarly, the brother-sister duo of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra extensively campaigned for INDIA bloc candidates. Rae Bareli is 'karmabhoomi' of both my 'mothers' Sonia and Indira Gandhi: Rahul Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav also campaigned for the candidates of the opposition grouping. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi addressed a rally in Rae Bareli. The campaign trail also saw Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal and BSP chief Mayawati address rallies. According to the state's Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa, the counting of votes will commence at 8 am on Tuesday at 81 counting centres set up in 75 districts of the state. A total of 851 candidates, 771 men and 80 women were in the fray in the elections in Uttar Pradesh, with the maximum of 28 in the Ghosi Lok Sabha constituency and the minimum of four in Kaiserganj. Rinwa also said that the state recorded 56.92 per cent voting in the Lok Sabha election this time, two percentage points less than the 2019 turnout. The results will determine the political fate of Prime Minister Modi, eyeing a hattrick from Varanasi, as well as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who contested from Lucknow for the third consecutive time. Similarly, the fate of Union ministers Mahendra Nath Pandey, Smriti Irani, Anupriya Patel and a few others will also be decided. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi contested this time from the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency, a seat earlier represented by his mother Sonia Gandhi. Giving son Rahul to Rae Bareli people, he won't disappoint you: Sonia Gandhi Rahul Gandhi represented the Amethi constituency thrice from 2004 before losing the seat to the BJP's Smriti Irani in 2019. He, however, was elected to the outgoing Lok Sabha from Kerala's Wayanad. Five members of the Yadav family of the Samajwadi Party contested the Lok Sabha elections this time SP chief Akhilesh Yadav from Kannauj, sitting MP Dimple Yadav from Mainpuri, Dharmendra Yadav from Azamgarh, Akshaya Yadav from Firozabad and Aditya Yadav from Budaun. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, then-allies Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) achieved success in the Muslim-dominated region of western Uttar Pradesh. However, the political equations have completely changed this time. The BSP is contesting the elections alone, while RLD, which has some influence in the Jat community of the western part of the state, has joined hands with the BJP. BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi told PTI that his party contested from 75 out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state, while alliance partners Apna Dal (Sonelal) contested from the Mirzapur and Robertsganj (SC) seats, the SBSP from Ghosi and the RLD from Bijnor and Baghpat. Samajwadi Party spokesperson Deepak Ranjan said his party contested on 62 Lok Sabha seats in the state, while the Congress fielded its candidates in 17. One seat was allotted to the INDIA bloc partner Trinamool Congress. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the BJP won 62 seats and its ally Apna Dal(S) two, brushing aside the challenge of the SP-BSP alliance. The Congress had won the lone Rae Bareli seat of Sonia Gandhi. The BSP was the biggest gainer in the 2019 alliance with 10 seats. The Samajwadi Party had won five seats but the Rashtriya Lok Dal couldn't open its account.

Uttar Pradesh: Youth arrested for editing photo showing CM Yogi washing Akhilesh Yadav's feet

A youth has been arrested by the police for editing a photo of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath indecently and posting it on social media from the Surajpur area of Firozabad district in Uttar Pradesh

Rahul should go to Italy after his defeat in Rae Bareli: Shah

LAKHIMPUR KHERI/KANNAUJ : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of pushing ahead Pakistans agenda, saying Congress leader would be defeated in Rae Bareli after which he should settle down in Italy, the only place left for him. Hitting out at the INDIA bloc, he said leaders of opposition parties did not attend the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple as they were afraid of their vote bank and warned that they would put a Babri lock at the temple if they came to power. They might be afraid of their vote bank, we are not. Not only did we get the Ram Temple built, Modi also built the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor that was destroyed by Aurangzeb, he said at a rally in Lakhimpur Kheri, saying that if the opposition wins, crackers will be burst in Pakistan. If the INDI Alliance gets the majority, who will be its prime minister? Will Sharad Pawar, Mamata (Banerjee) Didi, (MK) Stalin, Akhilesh or Rahul become the prime minister? It does not even have a prime ministerial candidate. It neither has a leader, a policy nor determination, he said. Shah accused the Congress, SP and BSP of defaming the saffron party and Narendra Modi by saying if the prime minister gets 400 seats in the ongoing election, the reservation will be done away with. He accused the Congress of stalling the Ram temple issue for 70 years and said, When you made Modi the PM for the second time, he not only won the legal dispute involving the Ram Janmabhoomi but also performed the bhoomi puja of the Ram temple. Akhilesh didnt get Yadav nominee outside family Charging the SP with being a dynastic party, Shah said Akhilesh Yadav did not get a Yadav candidate outside his family. Akhilesh is contesting from Kannauj, his wife Dimple Yadav from Manipuri, Aditya Yadav from Budaun, Akshay Yadav from Firozabad and Dharmendra Yadav from Azamgarh, he said, adding, Once their children become mature, they will contest from all 80 seats. He slammed SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav for calling Ram temple bekar (useless).

High Voter Turnout in Third Phase; Clashes and Allegations Mar West Bengal and UP Voting

High Voter Turnout in Third Phase; Clashes and Allegations Mar West Bengal and UP Voting Nearly 65 per cent voter turnout was recorded on Tuesday in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories with stray incidents of violence in West Bengal. Assam recorded the highest turnout at 81.71 per cent followed by West Bengal at 76.52 per cent and Goa at 75.20 per cent, while Uttar Pradesh witnessed the lowest at 57.34 per cent, with Bihar at 58.18 per cent, Gujarat at 59.51 per cent and Maharashtra at 61.44 per cent doing slightly better, according to the figures from the Election Commission at 12.15 am. The overall voting percentage was 64.58 per cent. According to the EC, the figures are an ''approximate trend'' and are likely to rise as data is being collected. While the official time for the voting to conclude is 6 pm, it can go beyond to enable voters who have come in the queue before the end of fixed polling hours to exercise their franchise. Among other states and UTs, Chhattisgarh recorded 71.06 per cent polling, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 69.87 per cent, Karnataka 70.41 per cent, and Madhya Pradesh 66.05 per cent, according to the EC. As many as 17.24 crore people, including 8.39 crore females, were eligible to vote in the third phase and 1.85 lakh polling stations manned by 18.5 lakh officials had been set up. With this, voting has been completed in 20 states/UTs and 282 Lok Sabha seats out of 543. The overall voting percentage in the first and second phases was 66.14 per cent and 66.71 per cent respectively. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among those who exercised their franchise in Gujarat, where elections were held in 25 seats. While PM Modi cast his vote at a polling booth in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Shah voted at a polling booth in Ahmedabad. Shah (Gandhinagar) is among the bigwigs in the fray along with Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna), Mansukh Mandaviya (Porbandar), Parshottam Rupala (Rajkot), Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and SP Singh Baghel (Agra). The stakes are high for the BJP in this round as it had won an overwhelming majority of these seats, including all in Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, in the last election. Both the BJP and the INDIA bloc claimed that they had the upper hand after the third phase. ''Across all the states and UTs, voters from all walks of life have placed their faith in the NDA and our development agenda. INDI Alliance is losing even more steam, thanks to their regressive economics and outdated votebank politics,'' Modi said on X. The Congress claimed that the BJP has been wiped out in the south and reduced to half of its strength after the three phases ''Its very clear that for the BJP, it is South mein Saaf, North mein Half,'' Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on X. In Uttar Pradesh, where several members of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav's family are contesting, party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP workers were trying to ''loot booths'' in Mainpuri and people from opposition parties were being detained in police stations. Yadav cast his vote in Saifai (Etawah) in Mainpuri constituency where his wife and sitting MP Dimple Yadav is contesting. Sporadic incidents of violence marred the polling in the four constituencies in West Bengal as TMC, BJP and Congress-CPI(M) workers clashed with each other in various parts of Murshidabad and Jangipur seats. According to state election officials, Murshidabad registered the highest voter turnout of 80.13 per cent followed by Maldaha Dakshin (76.15 pc), Maldaha Uttar (75.92 pc), and Jangipur (73.71 pc). The TMC, BJP, and the Congress-CPI(M) alliance lodged separate complaints related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assaults on poll agents. The EC received 182 complaints by 9 am, most of which were from Murshidabad and Jangipur constituencies. ''The TMC has unleashed a reign of terror in the entire constituency. Strict action must be taken by the Election Commission,'' Left-Congress combine candidate Mohammed Salim said in Murshidabad seat. In the Karimpur area of the seat, clashes were reported between the TMC and the CPI(M) supporters outside a few booths. Clashes were reported between the TMC and the Congress activists from the Domkol area. In some areas, TMC workers held protests alleging that central forces were assisting BJP workers in ''intimidating'' voters at booths in the Maldaha North constituency. In Uttar Pradesh, Agra witnessed 53.99 per cent polling, Aonla 57.08 per cent, Budaun 54.05 per cent, Bareilly 57.88 per cent, Etah 59.17 per cent, Fatehpur Sikri 57.09 per cent, Firozabad 58.22 per cent, Hathras 55.36 per cent, Mainpuri 58.59 per cent and Sambhal 62.81 per cent. ''In Mainpuri, BJP people are trying to loot booths. They are detaining opposition people in police stations,'' SP chief Yadav alleged without elaborating. ''There is information from some places that the government is using force. It is heard that officers have been deployed outside polling booths,'' he said. In Budaun, the villagers of Dhoranpur boycotted the polling to protest against the alleged non-fulfilment of their demand for a road. District Magistrate Manoj Kumar said the issue has come to his notice and a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) has been sent to the village. Not a single vote was also cast in three villages of Firozabad -- Nagla Jawahar, Neem Kheria and Nagla Umar -- as the villagers tried to draw the administration's attention to their problems. SP candidate Aditya Yadav in Budaun alleged that his party supporters were not being allowed to vote in some places. ''I have made a complaint in this regard with the EC observer and have given proof of police atrocities. We are only getting assurances,'' he said. Queues were seen at polling booths in most Lok Sabha segments in northern districts of Karnataka. Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Bhagwanth Khuba, and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge were among those who came in early to cast their votes. Former chief minister B S Yediyurappa along with sons B Y Raghavendra, BJP candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha segment, and B Y Vijayendra, party's state president, along with other family members cast their vote at Shikaripura in Shivamogga district. Two government officials on poll duty died in Karnataka after suffering a heart attack, sources in the Election Commission said. A 45-year-old woman polling officer - Kaushika Babariya- deployed at a polling booth in Amreli district of Gujarat, also died of a heart attack. In Gujarat, the Banaskantha district collector ordered an inquiry after Congress Lok Sabha candidate Geniben Thakor alleged that electors were threatened and asked to vote for the BJP by some youngsters posing as Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel at a polling station. In Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, his wife Sunetra Pawar, who is the NCP candidate from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat, and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar were among those who cast their votes. Sharad Pawar was welcomed with a traditional 'aarti' as he arrived at a polling booth in the Malegaon area of Baramati constituency in Pune district. Ajit Pawar and Sunetra Pawar cast their votes at a polling booth in Katewadi area of Baramati. Sunetra is pitted against her sister-in-law Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar's daughter and the sitting MP from there. In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accompanied by his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma and daughter Sukanya Sarma exercised his franchise at Amingaon in Barpeta Lok Sabha seat. Amid rains, people used different modes of transport, including boats, to reach the polling stations across Guwahati, Barpeta, Dhubri and Kokrajhar constituencies. With the BJP bagging Surat unopposed, 25 seats in Prime Minister Modi's home state of Gujarat went to polls on Tuesday, besides 11 seats in Maharashtra, 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh, the remaining 14 of the 28 in Karnataka, seven in Chhattisgarh, five in Bihar, four each in Assam and West Bengal, and all two in Goa. Voting was held in two seats in Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and nine seats in Madhya Pradesh, including Betul where elections were earlier deferred. Over 1,331 candidates, including around 120 women, were in the fray in the third phase. The next four phases will be on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes is on June 4.

Some police officers violating ECI orders: SP candidate from Sambhal

Some police officers violating ECI orders: SP candidate from Sambhal Samajwadi Party candidate from Sambhal, Ziaur Rahman Barq, accused some police officers of attempting to disrupt the environment and violating the orders of the Election Commission during the third phase of voting in the Sambhal seat in Uttar Pradesh for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The SP candidate also said he has filed a complaint with the poll body and demanded that action be taken against such officers. The third phase of polling for 93 parliamentary constituencies spread over ten states and a Union Territory was held today. Our people want that peace be maintained and cast their votes peacefully. However, some police officers are trying to disrupt the environment here and do not follow the constitution and orders from the Election Commission of India...I have registered my complaint with the EC and action should be taken against such officers..., he told ANI. ECI is spending crores of rupees to increase voter turnout. But the Chief Electoral Officer, Sambhal, has crossed all the limits of indecency, the SP candidate added. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged on Tuesday that the behaviour of the police and administration is not right and in Mainpuri, party workers have been locked up. The behaviour of the police and the administration is not right. The BJP will be wiped out in this phase. Police are beating people in the Sambhal and we are getting information from Mainpuri that Samajwadi Party workers and leaders are being locked up. The ministers, their associates and family members are roaming freely. Therefore, I want to appeal to people to come out and vote and save democracy. I hope that the Election Commission will take action on it, he said. Meanwhile, polling concluded in ten seats in Uttar Pradesh: Sambhal, Hathras, Mainpuri, Agra (SC), Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad, Etah, Budaun, Aonla, and Bareilly. In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their franchise in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP bagged 72 of the 93 seats that were polled today. The general elections are being held across seven phases in a six-week marathon running from April 19 to June 1. The counting and the results will be declared on June 4. (ANI)

LS elections third phase: Around 50 per cent polling recorded till 3 pm

New Delhi: A voter turnout of 50.71 per cent was recorded till 3 pm in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories on Tuesday with sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal. West Bengal recorded the highest turnout at 63.11 per cent followed by Assam at 63.08 per cent, while Maharashtra witnessed the lowest at 42.63 per cent. According to the Election Commission, a voting percentage of 50.71 was recorded till 3 PM. The voting which started at 7 am will continue till 6 pm. A voter turnout of 47.03 per cent was recorded in 25 Lok Sabha seats of Gujarat, an Election Commission (EC) official said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among those who exercised their franchise the state. While PM Modi cast his vote at a polling booth in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Shah voted at a polling booth in Ahmedabad. Shah (Gandhinagar) is among the bigwigs in the fray in this phase along with Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna), Mansukh Mandaviya (Porbandar), Parshottam Rupala (Rajkot), Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and SP Singh Baghel (Agra). In Uttar Pradesh, where several members of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav's family are contesting, close to 46.78 per cent polling was recorded in 10 seats. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP workers were trying to loot booths in Mainpuri and people from opposition parties were being detained in police stations. Yadav cast his vote in Saifai (Etawah) in Mainpuri constituency where his wife and sitting MP Dimple Yadav is contesting. Among other states, Assam recorded 63.08 per cent polling, Bihar 46.69 per cent, Chhattisgarh 58.19 per cent, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 52.43 per cent, Goa 61.39 per cent, Karnataka 54.20 per cent, and Madhya Pradesh 54.09 per cent, according to the EC. Sporadic incidents of violence marred the third phase of Lok Sabha polls in four constituencies in West Bengal as TMC, BJP and Congress-CPI(M) workers clashed with each other in various parts of Murshidabad and Jangipur seats. According to officials, Murshidabad registered the highest voter turnout with 65.40 per cent followed by Maldaha Dakshin (62.90), Jangipur (62.57), and Maldaha Uttar (61.50). The TMC, the BJP, and the Congress-CPI(M) alliance lodged separate complaints related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assaults on poll agents. The EC received 182 complaints by 9 am, most of which were from Murshidabad and Jangipur constituencies. In Murshidabad seat, Left-Congress combine candidate Mohammed Salim claimed that he caught hold of a fake booth agent in the Rabinagar area of the constituency. Salim faced go back slogans as he tried to enter a booth there following allegations of CPI(M) booth agents being heckled by alleged TMC goons. The TMC has unleashed a reign of terror in the entire constituency. Strict action must be taken by the Election Commission, Salim said. In the Karimpur area of the seat, clashes were reported between the TMC and the CPI(M) supporters outside a few booths. Clashes were reported between the TMC and the Congress activists from the Domkol area. BJP candidate Dhanajoy Ghosh faced protests by TMC cadres in the Jangipur area as he tried to enter some of the booths in the constituency. In Uttar Pradesh, Agra witnessed 43.67 per cent polling, Aonla 46.75 per cent, Budaun 45.44 per cent, Bareilly 45.96 per cent, Etah 48.93 per cent, Fatehpur Sikri 46.18 per cent, Firozabad 47.80 per cent, Hathras 44.63 per cent, Mainpuri 46.80 per cent and Sambhal 52.24 per cent In Mainpuri, BJP people are trying to loot booths. They are detaining opposition people in police stations, SP chief Yadav alleged without elaborating. He also alleged rigging of votes at some places and said, Information is coming from some places that the government is using force. It is heard that officers have been deployed outside polling booths. In Budaun, the villagers of Dhoranpur boycotted the polling to protest against the alleged non-fulfilment of their demand for a road. District Magistrate Manoj Kumar said the issue has come to his notice and a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) has been sent to the village. Not a single vote was also cast in three villages of Firozabad -- Nagla Jawahar, Neem Kheria and Nagla Umar -- as the villagers tried to draw the administration's attention to their problems. SP candidate Aditya Yadav in Budaun alleged that SP supporters were not being allowed to vote in some places. I have made a complaint in this regard with the EC observer and have given proof of police atrocities. We are only getting assurances, he said. SP candidate Zia-ur-Rehman Barq also alleged that a circle officer snatched voter slips from SP workers and detained them. He requested the EC to remove the officer immediately. Queues were seen at polling booths in most Lok Sabha segments in northern districts of Karnataka. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and Bhagwanth Khuba, and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge were among those who came in early to cast their votes in Karnataka. Former chief minister B S Yediyurappa along with sons B Y Raghavendra, BJP candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha segment and B Y Vijayendra, party's state President -- and daughters-in-law cast their vote at Shikaripura in Shivamogga district. Two government officials on poll duty died in Karnataka after suffering a heart attack, sources in the Election Commission said. In Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, his wife Sunetra Pawar, who is the NCP candidate from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat, and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar were among those who cast their votes. Sharad Pawar was welcomed with a traditional 'aarti' as he arrived at a polling booth in the Malegaon area of Baramati constituency in Pune district. Ajit Pawar and Sunetra Pawar cast their votes at a polling booth in Katewadi area of Baramati. Sunetra is pitted against her sister-in-law Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar's daughter and the sitting MP from there. In Assam, people lined up in large numbers across four Lok Sabha constituencies to cast their vote. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accompanied by his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma and daughter Sukanya Sarma exercised his franchise at Amingaon in Barpeta Lok Sabha seat. People used all modes of transport, including boats, to reach the polling stations across Guwahati, Barpeta, Dhubri and Kokrajhar constituencies to exercise their democratic franchise amid rain. Over 1,300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray in the third phase. Voting was completed in 189 seats out of 543 seats in the first two phases. The next four phases will be on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes is on June 4.

Phase 3 of Lok Sabha Elections: 38.12% Voters Turnout Recorded in UP Till 1 PM

Phase 3 of Lok Sabha Elections: 38.12% Voters Turnout Recorded in UP Till 1 PM More than 38 per cent voters came out to cast their votes till 1 pm for 10 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. The state witnessed 38.12 per cent polling till 1 pm in the third phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha election. While Agra witnessed 36.89 per cent polling, Aonla recorded a 36.95 per cent voter turnout, Budaun 34.97 per cent, Bareilly 34.93 per cent, Etah 38.87 per cent, Fatehpur Sikri 39.09 per cent, Firozabad 40.06 per cent, Hathras 37.73 per cent, Mainpuri 38.32 per cent and Sambhal 42.97 per cent, the Election Commission (EC) said. Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm. More than 1.89 crore voters are eligible to vote in these 10 constituencies. Prominent among those who cast their votes are the Samajwadi Party's (SP) Akhliesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav, their daughter Aditi Yadav, Ramgopal Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav and members of Yadav clan in Saifai (Etawah) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates S P Singh Baghel and Parmeshwar Lal Saini in Agra and Sambhal respectively. SP President Akhilesh Yadav alleged that BJP men were preparing to loot booth in Mainpuri. ''There is a tussle going on within the BJP as to whose hand power should remain. Everyone understands this. The statements given by them (BJP leaders) are for self-appeasement. These people talk cleverly, Yadav said. In Budaun, the villagers of Dhoranpur boycotted the polling. They protested against politicians for not paying heed to their demand for a road. District Magistrate Manoj Kumar said the issue has come to his notice and a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) has been sent to the village. Alleging that administration was not allowing to vote SP supporters, SP candidate Aditya Yadav in Budaun said there are various booths in Ujhani Sahsvan this is happening. ''I have made a complaint in this regard with EC observer and have give proof of police atrocities. We are only getting assurances,'' he said adding that water was poured on SP agents polling bag having voter slips. Talking to reporters in Sambhal, SP candidate Zia-ur-Rehman Barq alleged that a circle officer doubled up as a BJP worker and snatched bags and voter slips from SP workers and detained them. He requested the EC to remove the officer immediately. Not a single vote was cast in three villages of Firozabad -- Nagla Jawahar, Neem Kheria and Nagla Umar -- as the villagers tried to draw the administration's attention to their problems. It is an important phase for the family members of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav. SP's Dimple Yadav is aiming to retain the Mainpuri seat, which she won in a by-poll following the death of her father-in-law and party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. Akshay Yadav, the son of SP national principal general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav, will try to reclaim the Firozabad seat. Aditya Yadav, the son of SP national general secretary Shivpal Yadav, is making his electoral debut from the Budaun constituency, which was won by his cousin Dharmendra Yadav in 2014. Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of 80 parliamentary constituencies among all the states. Polling in the state is spread across all seven phases from April 19 to June 1. The counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.

People upset with government, BJP will face a very bad defeat: Akhilesh Yadav after casting his vote

People upset with government, BJP will face a very bad defeat: Akhilesh Yadav after casting his vote Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, his wife and SP candidate from Mainpuri Lok Sabha Seat, Dimple Yadav cast their vote at a polling station in Uttar Pradesh's Saifai. After casting his vote, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed that the ruling BJP party would face a very bad defeat as people of every section were upset with the government. Speaking with the reporters, Akhilesh Yadav said, ... BJP is going to have a very bad defeat because farmers, youth, businessmen, people of every section are upset with them. Yadav also alleged that the leaders of the BJP should be punished for deliberately conducting the elections in the summer season. He said, We are voting in summer and BJP people should also be punished for this, although they will say that this is the decision of the Election Commission, BJP people deliberately make you vote in the summer to hurt you. This voting could have taken place a month earlier. The SP chief also appealed to the people to vote and said, I appeal to all my colleagues and voters to vote in large numbers. This voting can change the lives of people. The SP chief also alleged that the BJP leaders and workers tried to capture the booth and said, We hope that the Election Commission will take action on the complaints that are coming. It is being heard at many places that BJP workers and leaders want to capture the booth. I saw an official here who was abusing people... I will appeal to the voters to vote in large numbers and remove this government... The polling is going on for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election on Tuesday. The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed. In Uttar Pradesh, voting is underway in 10 seats: Sambhal, Hathras, Mainpuri, Agra (SC), Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad, Etah, Budaun, Aonla, and Bareilly. In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their franchise in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. Prominent leaders to contest in today's poll battle include Union Home Minister Amit Shah, former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Digvijaya Singh, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav, and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, among others. In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that go to the polls today. The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting is scheduled for June 4. (ANI)

Polling begins for 10 third-phase seats in UP

Polling commenced for 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh, including Mainpuri, in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Over 1.89 crore voters will decide the fate of 100 candidates. This phase is crucial for the Yadav family, with Dimple Yadav aiming to retain Mainpuri, Akshaya Yadav contesting for Firozabad, and Aditya Yadav making his debut from Budaun. Other key candidates include Union Minister S P Singh Baghel, Tourism Minister Jayveer Singh, and Minister of State for Revenue Anoop Pradhan Balmiki. The BJP has fielded five new faces in this phase.

LS polls 2024: Stakes high for Kharge, BSY, NCP in Phase 3

NEW DELHI/BENGALURU: The electoral fate of half-a-dozen Union ministers and two former chief ministers will be sealed on Wednesday in the third phase of the general elections is 93 constituencies in 11 states and Union territories. The BJP sees the third phase as one of consolidation as compared to the first two phases. Prominent among the heavyweight candidates in this phase are Union home minister Amit Shah in Gandhinagar, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya (Porbandar), civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia (Guna), former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh (Rajgarh), NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar)s Supriya Sule (Baramati), and Adhir Ranjan Choudhary (Berhampur). In Uttar Pradesh, representatives of the Mulayam Singh Yadav clan are contesting in this phase Dimple Yadav from Mainpuri, Akshaya Yadav, son of Ram Gopal Yadav, from Firozabad and Aditya Yadav, son of Shivpal Yadav, from Budaun. In Karnataka, the last of the 14 seats will go to polls in what is being seen as a high-stakes battle for Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. For, most of the seats are in North Karnataka, which is regarded as his home turf. The elections are equally important for former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, whose son Vijayendra is the state BJP president. Prominent among those in the fray in Karnataka are former CMs Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri) and Jagadish Shettar (Belgaum), Union ministers Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and Bhagwant Khuba (Bidar), Yediyurappas son Raghavendra (Shivamogga), and Kharges son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani (Gulbarga SC). According to sources, around 30-40 constituencies in the third phase will witness triangular contests, giving sitting Lok Sabha members a really tough time. Most of the sitting MPs are from the ruling BJP. Phase 3 factoids 93 seats for which polling will be held in 11 states/UTs 1,300 candidates including around 120 women, in the fray 11 crore people eligible to vote Entire Gujarat and Goa, 11 seats in Maharashtra, 10 in UP, 14 in Karnataka, 7 in Chhattisgarh, 5 in Bihar, 4 each in Assam and West Bengal to go to polls

Polling underway in 10 third-phase seats of Uttar Pradesh

Polling underway in 10 third-phase seats of Uttar Pradesh Polling began Tuesday morning for 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh, including high-profile Mainpuri, in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Over 1.89 crore voters will seal the fate of 100 candidates in parliamentary constituencies of Sambhal, Hathras (SC), Agra (SC), Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etah, Budaun, Aonla and Bareilly, where polling began at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm, according to the Election Commission. It is an important phase for Uttar Pradesh's Yadav family. The Samajwadi Party's (SP) Dimple Yadav is aiming to retain the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat, which she won in the bypolls following the death of her father-in-law and party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. Akshaya Yadav, the son of SP national principal general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav, will try to reclaim the Firozabad seat. Aditya Yadav, the son of SP national general secretary Shivpal Yadav, is making his electoral debut from the Budaun constituency, which was won by his cousin Dharmendra Yadav in 2014. Polling during the day will also seal the fate of Union minister S P Singh Baghel, Uttar Pradesh Tourism Minister Jayveer Singh and its Minister of State for Revenue Anoop Pradhan Balmiki. Baghel, Jayveer Singh and Balmiki are contesting from Agra (SC), Mainpuri and Hathras (SC) Lok Sabha seats respectively. Rajveer Singh, the son of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and BJP stalwart Kalyan Singh, is looking to score a hat-trick from Etah, which was represented in 2009 by his father as a candidate of the Jan Kranti Party. In Bareilly, the main contest has narrowed down to the BJP's Chhatrapal Singh Gangwar and the SP's Praveen Singh Aron after the nomination papers of BSP candidate Chhotey Lal Gangwar were rejected. In the third phase, the BJP has given tickets to five new faces -- Chhatrapal Gangwar from Bareilly, Durvijay Singh Shakya from Budaun, Anoop Pradhan Balmiki from Hathras, Vishwadeep Singh from Firozabad and Jayveer Singh from Mainpuri. The first four replaced Santosh Gangwar, Sanghamitra Maurya, Rajveer Singh Diler and Chandrasen Jadaun. Jayveer Singh is the sole candidate in this phase who replaced a losing candidate from the BJP. The BJP retained the winning candidates from Etah, Agra (SC), Aonla and Fatehpur Sikri. It also gave a ticket to Parameshwar Lal Saini from Sambhal Lok Sabha seat. The Congress has fielded Ramnath Singh Sikarwar from Fatehpur Sikri, while its INDIA bloc ally SP has fielded candidates in the remaining nine seats in this phase. Uttar Pradesh has 80 parliamentary constituencies, the largest number among all states. Polling in the state is spread across all seven phases from April 19 to June 1. The counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.

LIVE: LS Polls 2024 PHASE 3 | Lot at stake for BJP in India's Super Tuesday

Lok Sabha elections 2024 is heating up with all indications being now that the contest is turning out to be closer than was initially expected. In the backdrop of this comes the third phase of voting on Tuesday covering 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories. The Surat Lok Sabha seat has already seen Mukesh Dalal of the BJP being elected unopposed in controversial circumstances. The constituencies that will be voting in the third phase include-- 25 seats in Gujarat, 11 seats in Maharashtra, 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 14 in Karnataka, seven in Chhattisgarh, five in Bihar, four each in Assam and West Bengal and all two in Goa. The BJP particularly has a lot at stake since it had won an overwhelming majority of these seats, including all in Gujarat, Karnataka, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh in the last elections. In all, over 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. The fight for the 14 seats in Karnakata happens at a time when the flames of the Prajwal Revanna sex scandal are engulfing the JD(S) that had allied with the BJP. Among the star candidates whose fates will be sealed in the ballot boxes are Union ministers Amit Shah (Gandhinagar), Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna), Mansukh Mandaviya (Porbandar), Parshottam Rupala (Rajkot), Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and SP Singh Baghel (Agra). Follow live updates here. Campaigning ends for Gujarat LS polls: BJP aims to repeat sweep despite Cong-AAP alliance Election Commission officers check EVMs and VVPATs before their distribution to polling officials on the eve of the third phase of voting for Lok Sabha elections, in Sangli. In Karnataka, the fate of former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri) and the AIUDF's Badruddin Ajmal (Dhubri) will be decided on Tuesday. In Uttar Pradesh, the current phase is important for the Mulayam Singh Yadav family, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav aiming to retain the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat. Dimple Yadav had won the seat in bypolls following the demise of her father-in-law Mulayam Singh Yadav. Akshaya Yadav, son of Ram Gopal Yadav, the national principal general secretary of SP, will try to reclaim the Firozabad seat, which he had won in 2014. Aditya Yadav, the son of SP national general secretary Shivpal Yadav, is making his electoral debut from the Budaun Lok Sabha seat, which was represented by his cousin Dharmendra Yadav in 2014. Polling and security officials with EVMs and VVPATs cross the Brahmaputra river enroute to their polling station on the eve of the third phase of voting for Lok Sabha elections, at Goroimari in Kamrup dstrict. After the third phase, voting will be completed in 283 out of 543 seats in Lok Saba. PM Modi and Shah will cast their vote at booths in Ahmedabad city under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. The next four phases will be on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Counting of votes is on June 4. BJP won't cross 150 seats; INDIA bloc will foil its attempt to scrap Constitution: Rahul Gandhi Two former CMs and that fight in Baramati Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Vidisha) and Digvijaya Singh (Rajgarh) have returned to the Lok Sabha electoral fray this time. Another riveting contest will be in Maharashtra's Baramati between Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule and Sunetra Pawar, wife of the veteran leader's estranged nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Baramati LS constituency will witness what they have not seen in last several years. Blatant misuse of power, threat & use of money for vote was hardly seen in Baramati but in this Lok Sabha election, all unheard things are being used in large scale that no one can even imagine. Sudhir Suryawanshi (@ss_suryawanshi) May 6, 2024 Election officials carry EVMs and other materials on a tractor to their respective polling booths on the eve of 3rd phase of voting for Lok Sabha elections, in Kamrup district. Phase III of Lok Sabha polls in UP puts Samajwadi Party to test in 'Yadav land'

Third Phase Polling for 280 out of 543 Seats To Be Completed 17.24 Cr Voters To Pick 93 LS MPs Today

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah will lead the voting for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections for 93 seats in 11 states and Union territories on Tuesday. Shah, civil aviation minister Jyotiradtiya Scindia, former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Digvijay Singh are among the prominent candidates whose fate will be sealed by over 17.24 crore voters. After Tuesday, polling for 280 out of the 543 seats would be completed, which is past the half way mark. The third phase will be handled by 18.5 lakh polling officials in across 1.85 lakh polling stations. Gujarat, Goa, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu will complete polling in a single phase on Tuesday. Among the other constituencies voting in the third phase are four in Assam, five in Bihar, seven in Chhattisgarh, eight in Madhya Pradesh, 11 in Maharashtra, 10 in Uttar Pradesh, 14 in Karnataka and four in West Bengal. Some other prominent names in the fray include Samajwadi Partys Dimple Yadav, and NCP-Sharad Pawar group leader Supriya Sule who is locked in a family contest with her relative Sunetra Pawar. In Maharashtra 258 candidates are in fray in the third phase though all eyes are on Baramati seat where in a family contest Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule is pitted against Sunetra Pawar, wife of the veteran leader's estranged nephew and Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. The third phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal will see four Muslim-majority constituencies going to the polls. It will also witness I.N.D.I.A. bloc partners at the national level the TMC and the Left-Congress combine fighting separately. Amid heightened security with the deployment of 202 companies of Central forces and more than 60,000 personnel of police force and District Reserve Guard, the remaining seven Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh will vote in the third phase with 168 candidates in the fray. The main contest lies between the BJP, which had won 10 out of 11 seats in the state in the 2004, 2009 and 2014 general elections. In 2019, the BJP bagged nine constituencies and Congress 2. In Karnataka, voting will take place for the 14 remaining seats. Here it is going to be a straight fight between the Congress and BJP in Parliamentary segments in the northern districts. The JD (S) is not contesting in these seats and is supporting the BJP. The main contestants are former chief ministers Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri) and Jagadish Shettar (Balgaum), Union ministers Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and Bhagwanth Khuba (Bidar) and Karnataka BJP chief B.S. Raghavendra (all BJP); Congress' Geetha Shivrajkumar (Shimoga), wife of actor Shivrajkumar and daughter of former CM S. Bangarappa, and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani (Gulbarga). Ten parliamentary constituencies of Uttar Pradesh will go to polls with all eyes on Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav's family members. Akshaya Yadav, son of Ram Gopal Yadav, the national principal general secretary of SP, will try to reclaim the Firozabad seat, which he had won in 2014.

Yadav family members in focus in third phase of Lok Sabha polls in UP

In the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, ten parliamentary constituencies will go to polls, drawing attention to several key candidates. Dimple Yadav seeks to retain the Mainpuri seat, while Akshaya Yadav aims to reclaim Firozabad. Aditya Yadav, son of SP's Shivpal Yadav, debuts in Budaun. Other notable contenders include Union Minister SP Singh Baghel, Kalyan Singh's son Rajveer Singh, and candidates from various parties like BJP and Congress.

The Great Khali holds roadshow for BJP candidate in Firozabad

The Great Khali holds roadshow for BJP candidate in Firozabad

SP, BJP locked in intense fight in six Yadav strongholds

LUCKNOW : With Yadav land being the main battleground in Uttar Pradesh in phase-III, the Samajwadi Party is leaving no stone unturned to save its citadel from saffron onslaught, while the BJP is also creating a furore through its big fighters. Mainpuri, Firozabad, Etah, Baduan, of Phase -III and Kannauj and Etawah, of next phase on May 13, are set for a fierce fight between the ruling party and the main opposition. Meanwhile, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav himself is commanding the fort in Kannauj against sitting BJP MP Subrat Pathak. While in Mainpuri, the SP chiefs wife Dimple Yadav is ready to carry Mulayam Singh Yadavs legacy forward by challenging state tourism minister and BJP candidate Jaiveer Singh who is a sitting MLA from Mainpuri assembly segment. Akshay Yadav, Akhileshs cousin and SP national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadavs son, is again trying his fate from Firozabad seat, another bastion of SP against Vishwadeep Singh. Akshay had lost the seat to BJPs Chandrasen Jadon in 2019. In Badaun, the SP has put its stake in Aditya Yadav, another cousin of Akhilesh and son of Shivpal Yadav. However, the BJP has reposed faith in a local RSS pracharak firebrand leader Durvijay Singh Shakya. On the remaining two seats of the Yadav land, SPs Devesh Shakya is challenging late Kaylan Singhs son and sitting BJP MP Rajveer Singh in Etah and Jitendra Dohre is challenging BJP MP Ram Shankar Katheria in Etawah reserved seat. In the 2019 elections, of the six seats in the region, the BJP had bagged five Etah, Firozabad, Etawah, Badaun and Kannauj while the SP could win only Mainpuri. To repeat its 2019 performance, the BJP has launched an extensive campaign led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CM Yogi Adityanath. The BJP plans to pin down the SP in its stronghold by launching a hectic campaigns. The Yadav familys defeat will pave the way for consolidation of the BJP support base in the Yadav land, said a BJP leader. All the Yadav family members Akhilesh Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav, Shivpal Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav, Dimple Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav are canvassing. While Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath have been targeting SP over dynastic politics and appeasement politics, Akhilesh Yadav is urging voters to exercise their franchise to dethrone the BJP and protect the Constitution. Shivpal Yadavs rebellion in 2019 weakened the SP in its stronghold. It could win just one seat in the elections. With Shivpal back in the family fold, the SP hopes to regain the lost ground. The OBCs, Dalits, Muslims and upper castes play a decisive role in deciding the fate of the candidates on the five seats. On the other, the BSP has made the contest triangular on the five seats by fielding Shiv Prasad Yadav from Mainpuri, Mohammad Irfan from Etah, Chaudhary Bashir from Firozabad, Sarika Singh Baghel from Etawah and Imran Bin Zafar from Kannauj.

Firozabad constituency of Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha Election 2024: Date of voting, result, candidates list, main parties, schedule

Firozabad's glass bangle industry looks for revival this election

The upcoming Lok Sabha elections have infused a sense of urgency among stakeholders in the Rs 1,000 crore glass and bangle industry, which provides employment to five lakh people, including artisans. The fervent hope is that political representatives will take note of their plight and introduce meaningful interventions to revive the sector.

SP, Cong want to divide people

Accusing Congress and Samajwadi Party of wanting to change the Constitution of Dr B R Ambedkar, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the two parties were trying to divide the country on the basis of religion and caste. The CM stated this during a roadshow in Mainpuri and during public meetings in Etah and Firozabad, on Thursday. Through its manifesto, Congress is trying to change the Constitution to divide the country on the lines of religion. When making the Constitution in 1950, Babasaheb had said there can be no religion-based reservation. It cannot happen because this had become the reason for the countrys division. Congress has said they will cut a portion of the OBCS and SCs and give it to Muslims. Congress and SP are going against what Babasaheb had said. This is a conspiracy to damage the country, he said.

Schools will remain closed in these districts of UP on May 7, this is why the decision was taken

UP School closed News hindi: Schools will remain closed on May 7 in many districts of Uttar Pradesh including Sambhal, Hathras, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad, Mainpuri. Instructions have already been issued to schools in this regard. However, after May 7, schools will open as scheduled. In such a situation, let us know why this decision [] The post Schools will remain closed in these districts of UP on May 7, this is why the decision was taken first appeared on informalnewz .

Adityanath likens inheritance tax to jizya during Aurangzebs rule

Firozabad/Etah/Mainpuri (UP), May 2 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday likened the Congress proposal to impose an inheritance tax to the jizya levied on the Hindus during Aurangzebs rule, and also accused the party of encouraging cow slaughter. He made the remarks at an election rally in Firozabad. He also held a Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Amit Shah Predicts 'Congress Dhoondho Yatra' as Conclusion of Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra

Amit Shah Predicts 'Congress Dhoondho Yatra' as Conclusion of Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday attacked Rahul Gandhi, suggesting that his party will get such a drubbing in election that he will have to take out a 'Congress Dhoondho Yatra' after June 4. Addressing an election rally in Bareilly, Shah alleged that Rahul, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and SP's Akhilesh Yadav did not attend the Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya fearing this may alienate their vote bank. ''The 'shehzade' (prince) of 'ghamandia' INDI Alliance started his election campaign with Bharat Jodo Yatra but on June 4 (counting day), it will end with a 'Congress Dhoondho Yatra','' Shah said. ''In the first two phases, Congress is nowhere, while Narendra Modi has made a century and taken a lead in the '400 race' (race to 400 seats),'' he said. He said that this election is for ending terrorism and Naxalism and making India the third major economy globally. Shah hit out at the INDIA bloc partner Samajwadi Party, saying it indulges in dynastic politics, for its president Akhilesh Yadav has given tickets to five members of his family in the current election. He said that while Akhilesh is contesting from Kannauj and his wife Dimple Yadav is in fray from Mainpuri, Akshay Yadav, Aditya Yadav, and Dharmendra Yadav, all three his family members, are contenders from Firozabad, Budaun, and Azamgarh. ''Had he given a ticket to some Yadav youths, it would have been better,'' he said. Shah said that for the past 70 years, Congress had been stalling the Ram Temple construction, a task the BJP finished. ''When you made Modi PM for the second time, within five years, we won the case, did the groundbreaking, and performed the consecration ceremony of the temple on January 22. Samajwadi Party chief Akhliesh Yadav, Dimple, Rahul and Priyanka, all were invited by the temple trust but they did not attend the consecration ceremony because of the fear of their vote bank,'' Shah said. ''You all know who their vote bank is,'' he added. On revoking Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, he said, ''Congress president asks what do people of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have to do with Kashmir. He doesn't know that for Kashmir, every child of Bareilly can sacrifice his life In Kashmir, our tricolour is flying with pride.'' On the ''surgical strike'' after Pulwama attack, Shah said that under the past Congress governments, there was no reprisal for such acts and anyone could enter the country and do bomb blasts. ''We did a surgical strike inside Pakistan to get rid of terrorists.'' Shah claimed that Uttar Pradesh was riven with communal riots till 2017, when Yogi Adityanath came to power, made it riot-free, and stopped residents' exodus from western UP. ''In Yogi's regime, it is the hooligans who are migrating,'' he said. In Samajwadi Party's UP, factories forged country-made pistols, but now they manufacture tanks and missiles that will be fired on Pakistan, he said. Claiming that the Opposition's INDIA bloc is torn with internal differences, he said, ''Akhilesh wants to become a chief minister. Sonia ji wants his son (Rahul Gandhi) to become the prime minister. Those who are working to make their family members PM and CM, can they think of the poor's welfare?'' In Budaun, Shah referred to renovation and other work done on religious places by the Modi government. ''Be it 'Mahakal ka darbar', Kedarnath Dham, Badrinath Dham or covering with gold of Somnath temple, Modi made places of faith more energetic. Will SP, BSP and Congress do that?'' Shah said. Referring to Akhilesh and Rahul, he said when he stood up in Parliament to introduce the bill to abolish Article 370, ''do ladke'' stood against it and claimed the bill will lead to bloodshed in the valley. ''No one has the courage to pelt a stone there. At Lal Chowk, where no one could go a Krishna Janmashtami procession was taken out,'' Shah said on the post-Article 370 Kashmir. He said that the Congress government did not have courage to counter terrorism due to fear of erosion of its vote bank. Rahul's grandmother (Indira Gandhi) gave the slogan of 'Garibi Hatao' but did nothing to see that it happens on the ground, he alleged. He said Rahul and Akhilesh called COVID vaccine ''Modi ki vaccine'' and ''did politics'' on it when the country was battling a pandemic. ''Akhilesh himself went in the night and took the vaccine with Dimple Bhabhi,'' he said. Bareilly and Budaun will go to poll in the third phase on May 7.

BJP's Mainpuri Candidate Accuses SP of Nepotism, Coining 'PDA' as 'Parivar Development Authority'

BJP's Mainpuri Candidate Accuses SP of Nepotism, Coining 'PDA' as 'Parivar Development Authority' Giving a unique twist to the PDA acronym coined by Akhilesh Yadav, BJPs candidate from the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat said it stands for 'Parivar Development Authority' as he attacked the Samajwadi Party over the issue of dynasty politics. Around 220 km from the state capital Lucknow, Mainpuri is a bastion of the SP with the party retaining the Lok Sabha seat for nearly three decades. Singh, who is the state tourism minister and sitting MLA from Mainpuri Sadar, is taking on SPs Dimple Yadav, the wife of party chief Akhilesh Yadav. He claimed that the people of Mainpuri were fed up with SPs PDA and would vote for the BJP this time. ''I am one hundred per cent sure that the BJP will win the seat this time. SP's PDA is 'Pariwar Development Authority' of Saifai (Yadav family's ancestral village) and there is no scope for others to be a part of it,'' Singh told PTI. Yadav's ''PDA formula'' refers to a combination of ''Pichde (backward classes), Dalit and Alpasankhyak (minorities)''. Earlier, it was said that the SP was a party of Yadavs but now, people have realised that it is only a Kunbe ki party or party of a clan, Singh said. He said every day hundreds of people from the SP are joining the BJP as they see no future in the party. ''They gave tickets to five of their family members in the Lok Sabha polls and ignored the backwards people are annoyed, he said, referring to the party giving tickets to Dharmendra Yadav from Azamgarh, Akshay Yadav from Firozabad, Aditya Yadav from Budaun, besides Dimple and Akhilesh contesting from Mainpuri and Kannauj. Singh said after the death of SP founder and party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav in 2022, his daughter-in-law was given the ticket from Mainpuri for the bypoll. Now, her daughter (Aditi Yadav) is there and Poonam Rawat (Dimple Yadav's sister) has also come. Those within the SP can see that they have no future and are demoralised. Thats why they are coming to the BJP,'' he said, adding the SP only promotes dynastic politics. Dimple Yadavs daughter can be seen canvassing for her in the constituency for the May 7 polls. He claimed that wherever he goes, he is getting tremendous responses as people feel that they can now vote freely. ''People here have seen hooliganism between 2012 and 2017 during the SP regime. Now all that has ended and change is inevitable. The welfare schemes launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and good governance of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will have an impact on the election,'' he said. The BJP government has ensured a peaceful atmosphere in the state. The people know that they will witness development if they vote for the BJP, Singh said. Being a local BJP MLA, Singh is also relying on the work done by him in the past two years in the constituency. ''From my department alone, Rs 172 crore was released for development projects, including Rs 15 crore for Akhilesh Yadav's Karhal assembly constituency,'' the minister said. On Dimple Yadavs statement that she would carry forward the legacy of Mulayam Singh Yadav, Singh said the people of Mainpuri voted for her in the 2022 by-election to pay tributes to Netaji'. However, that is not the case anymore as the situation has changed and people trust the Modi-Yogi duo more,'' he said. For the BJP, conquering Mainpuri will be a major accomplishment after its takeover of the two former SP strongholds -- Azamgarh and Rampur -- in the 2022 by-elections. Following the results of the bypolls, the SPs tally of Lok Sabha MPs reached an all-time low of just three. Of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP bagged 62 and its ally Apna Dal got two in the 2019 general elections. The Congress managed just one seat, while the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party had forged an alliance. Mainpuri parliamentary constituency has five assembly segments -- Mainpuri, Bhogaon, Kishni, Karhal and Jaswant Nagar. In the 2022 assembly elections, the SP won the Karhal, Kishni and Jaswant Nagar seats, while the BJP won the Mainpuri and Bhogaon seats. The Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat has been with the SP since 1996 when Mulayam Singh Yadav first won from here. It was followed by Balram Singh Yadav's victories in 1998 and 1999. Mulayam Singh Yadav triumphed again in 2004, 2009 and 2014. The SP founder won the seat again in 2019. According to an estimate, Mainpuri has a majority of Yadav voters at around 3.5 lakh, besides over 1.5 lakh Thakurs, 1.2 lakh Brahmins, 60,000 Shakyas, 1.4 lakh Jatavs and over a lakh Lodhis. It also has around one lakh each of Muslim and Kurmi voters. The BSP of Mayawati has fielded Shiv Prasad Yadav from Mainpuri. The seat will go to polls in the third phase of the ongoing general elections on May 7.

UP battle shifts from Jat land to Yadav stronghold

LUCKNOW: The focus of Uttar Pradeshs political landscape is set to shift from the Jat belt to the Braj and Rohilkhand region, popularly called the Yadav land, where the fate of 10 key seats having an admixture of the Yadav-Muslim votes will be decided. At stake in Phase-III of the parliamentary polls on May 7 is he prestige of the Samajwadi Party (SP). In the first two phases, 16 western UP constituencies voted on April 19 and 26. In 2019, of the 10 seats of phase-III, the ruling BJP won eight and the main opposition SP, despite being in a formidable alliance with the BSP, could win just two. The 10 UP seats set to vote in Phase-III include Sambhal, Hathras, Etah, Aonla, Bareilly, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Mainpuri, Badaun and Firozabad. Three members of the Yadav clan are in the fray in the phase. While SP chief Akhilesh Yadavs wife Dimple is contesting from Mainpuri, his two cousins Aditya Yadav is from Badaun and Akshay Yadav from Firozabad. Although the 10 seats fall in the Yadav belt, the ruling BJP has performed exceptionally well since 2014. The BJP won seven of 10 seats restricting the SP to just three Mainpuri (Mulayam Singh Yadav), Badaun (Dharmendra Yadav) and Firozabad (Akshay Yadav). In 2019, the BJP clinched an added seat and won total eight of the 10 seats in this phase. SP won only in Mainpuri and Sambhal. The constituencies going to the polls in the third phase also have the Muslim-OBC combination that can influence the outcome. Patriarchs pocket borough Sambhal The constituency sent SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav to Lok Sabha twice in 1998 and 1999 and SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav in 2004. The BJP wrested it in 2014. While the BSP won the seat twice in 1996 and 2009, Congress last won it in 1984. This time, SP has reposed faith in veteran MP Shafiqur Rehman Barq who won the seat in 2019. However, even before the commencement of poll process, Barq, 92, assed away. Consequently, SP fielded his grandson Zia-ur-Rahman Barq, the party MLA from Kundarki in Moradabad. The BJP has reposed faith in an OBC Parmeshwar Lal Saini. The BSP makes the contest triangular, fielding Shaulat Ali. Saffron citadel named Hathras A reserved seat, Hathras is considered a BJP bastion since 1991. In 2009, the RLD won it as a pre-poll BJP ally. The Congress last won it in 1971. In 2019, despite the infamous gangrape and murder case that created widespread uproar, BJPs Rajvir Singh Diler defeated SPs Ramji Lal Suman. This time, BJP has replaced the MP with Anoop Valmiki, partys MLA, while SP and BSP have given ticket to Jasveer Valmiki and Hembabu Dhangar, respectively. Diler died of heart attack last week. Caste lines are sharp in rural areas. Over 3 years after a Dalit woman was allegedly gangraped, and died 11 days later in 2020, voters in her village are divided. Mostly, Mulayams Mainpuri A Yadav stronghold, the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat has been with the family of Mulayam Singh Yadav since 1996. Mulayam represented it five times in Lok Sabha. The SP has won the seat since 1996. The Congress last won here in 1984. In 2019, Mulayam Singh Yadav won by defeating BJPs Prem Singh Shakya. In 2024, BJPs Jaiveer Singh is challenging SPs Dimple Yadav. Dr Gulshan Dev Shakya is BSP candidate. A debut in Budaun; will it matter? After flip-flops, the Samajwadi party finally fielded Aditya Yadav, son of SP lead Shivpal Yadav. It is Adtiyas electoral debut. Initially SP had named Dharmendra Yadav from the seat but replaced him with Shivpal who wanted the ticket for his son and the party finally succumbed to his demand. Budaun seat has been with SP continuously from 1996 to 2014. The BJP wrested it in 2019. Firozabads fragile loyalty The city of glass, Firozabad is another SP citadel which the party lost to the BJP in 2019. This seat elected SP chief Akhilesh Yadav in 2009 and his cousin Akshay Yadav in 2014. The Congresss Raj Babbar defeated SPs Dimple Yadav in a by-poll in 2009. For 2024, the BJP has announced Vishwadeep Singh as its candidate while the SP has repeated Akshay Yadav, son of SP veteran Ram Gopal Yadav. Its Etah, hub of Hindutva The BJP has been winning here since 1989 representing it in Lok Sabah for six times. In between, the SP won this seat twice. In 2009, Kalyan Singh won as an independent supported by the SP. BJPs Rajveer Singh, son of Kalyan Singh, won this seat in 2014 and 2019. The party has made him its candidate again in 2024. Davesh Shakya is SP candidate. Advantage none in Aonla The BJP has won Aonla seat six times since 1989 and three times since 2009. The SP has won twice. The Congress won last in 1984. Dharmendra Kashyap (BJP), Neeraj Maurya (SP) and Abid Ali (BSP) and main contestants. The third phase is also crucial for the SP because three of the five members from the Yadav family are candidates in this phase. They are Dimple Yadav from Mainpuri, Akshay Yadav from Firozabad and Aditya Yadav from Budaun. The fate of Fatehpur Sikri A perennial water shortage and turmoil in the countrys northwest is thought to have been the key reason for the citys abandonment. After Akbar moved the imperial capital from Fatehpur Sikri to Lahore, and then to Agra, the city was abandoned by 1610. Fast-forward to 2024, the BJP won this seat twice in 2014 and 2019. Before that in 2009, the seat was with the BSP. In 2019, the BJPs Raj Kumar Chahar won it, defeating Congress Raj Babbar. Chahar polled 64.23% votes. The BJP has retained Chahar and the Congress has fielded Ramnath Sikarwar as the INDIA candidate while the BSP has fielded a Brahmin candidate Ram Niwas Sharma. Dalits take centre stage in Agra Known as the Dalit capital of UP with Dalits comprising 21% of the electorate, the BJP has won this reserved seat for five terms since 1991 and thrice in a row since 2009. This time, BJP MP Prof SP Singh Baghel, who won it in 2019, seeks another term. The SP has fielded Suresh Chandra Kardan while the BSP has fielded Pooja Amrohi. Politics and history intertwine with Dalit influence here. Recent events amplified the pivotal role of Dalit voters. Pooja Amrohis candidacy challenges the grassroots engagement. There are 20.57 lakh voters, with nearly three-fourths of them Jatav Dalits, who appear to be with the BSP, despite despair over its declining performance.

Watch | Why is Firozabads glass bangles industry struggling?

A glimpse of the glass-making industry in the Uttar Pradesh town

Phase III of Lok Sabha polls in UP puts Samajwadi Party to test in 'Yadav land'

LUCKNOW: As Uttar Pradesh gears up for third phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on May 7, all eyes are on the Braj and Rohilkhand regions, commonly dubbed the 'Yadav land.' Here, 10 key seats featuring a fascinating Yadav-Muslim dynamic will undergo scrutiny, posing a significant test to the Samajwadi Party's reputation and influence. The general elections in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted across all seven phases, with the first and second phases being held for 16 seats in the 'Jat belt' of Western UP on April 19 and April 26, respectively. In the 2019 elections, out of the 10 seats contested in phase III, the ruling BJP secured victory in eight, while the main opposition Samajwadi Party (SP), despite forming a formidable alliance with arch-rival Bhaujan Samaj Party (BSP), managed to win only two seats. This time, the SP has forged an alliance with the Congress under the Opposition's INDIA bloc. Conversely, the BSP has opted for a solo approach, setting the stage for a three-way showdown against the BJP-led NDA, echoing the political dynamics of the 2019 elections. The upcoming Phase III of voting will be pivotal for the SP, with 10 crucial seats up for contention. These include Sambhal, Hathras, Etah, Aonla, Bareilly, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Mainpuri, Badaun, and Firozabad. Significantly, three members of the Yadav family are participating in this phase of the elections. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's wife, Dimple, is contesting from Mainpuri, while his two cousins, Aditya Yadav from Badaun and Akshay Yadav from Firozabad, are also in the fray. Although the seats going to the polls in phase III fall under the Yadav belt, the ruling saffron brigade has been performing exceptionally well here since 2014. The BJP had won seven of 10 seats, restricting the SP to just three: Mainpuri (Mulayam Singh Yadav), Badaun (Dharmendra Yadav) and Firozabad (Akshay Yadav) in the 2014 general elections. In the 2019 elections, the BJP secured an additional seat, bringing their total to eight out of the 10 seats in this phase. Meanwhile, the SP retained Mainpuri and emerged victorious in Sambhal. The seats going to the polls in the third phase have the Muslim-OBC combination as the dominant force influencing the outcome across various constituencies. In constituencies such as Etah, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Badaun, and Sambhal, Yadav voters form a significant and influential bloc. Conversely, Muslim voters play a decisive role in Sambhal, Aonla, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, and Firozabad, comprising 6 percent to 13 percent of the population, except in Bareilly, where the Muslim population exceeds 33 percent. Likewise, in Etah, a stronghold of former UP CM Kalyan Singh, non-Yadav communities, particularly the Lodhs, emerge as a significant and decisive force. In other constituencies, the Kachhi, Shakya and Murao communities hold sway, shaping the electoral landscape. Lok Sabha polls 2024: How to crack UPs reserved seat puzzle Uttar Pradesh: RLD onboard, BJP looks for dominance SEAT-WISE DYNAMICS Sambhal Sambhal, considered to be the Yadav pocket borough as it has sent SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav to Lok Sabha twice in 1998 and 1999 and SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav in 2004, the BJP wrested the seat in 2014. While the BSP won the seat twice, in 1996 and 2009, the Congress last won it in 1984. In 2024, the SP had reposed faith in its sitting veteran MP Shafiqur Rehman Barq who had won the seat in 2019. However, even before the commencement of the poll process, Barq, 92, passed away after a prolonged illness. Consequently, SP fielded his grandson Zia-ur-Rahman Barq, the sitting SP MLA from Kundarki in Moradabad. The BJP has reposed faith in an OBC candidate Parmeshwar Lal Saini, who contested against Barq in 2019, to reclaim the seat, while the BSP has made the contest triangular by fielding a Muslim candidate Shaulat Ali. Hathras (Sc) Hathras, a reserved seat considered a BJP bastion since 1991, has been an impregnable fort for the SP and BSP, who have never registered a victory here. In 2009, the RLD won this seat as a pre-poll ally of the BJP, while the Congress last won here in 1971. In 2019, despite the horrific gangrape and murder case that had created widespread uproar, the BJP's Rajvir Singh Diler defeated the SP's Ramji Lal Suman. Diler died of heart attack last week. In 2024, the BJP replaced the sitting MP with Anoop Valmiki, the party's sitting MLA, while the SP and BSP have given the ticket to Jasveer Valmiki and Hembabu Dhangar, respectively. Agra (Sc) Agra, known as the Dalit capital of the state, has nearly 21 percent of its electorate comprised of Dalits. The BJP has won this reserved seat five times since 1991 and thrice in a row since 2009. It has retained sitting MP Professor SP Singh Baghel for 2024, who had won the seat for the first time in 2019. The Samajwadi Party has fielded Suresh Chandra Kardan, while the BSP has fielded Pooja Amrohi. Fatehpur Sikri The BJP won this seat twice, in 2014 and 2019. Before that, in 2009, the seat was with the BSP. In 2019, the BJP's Raj Kumar Chahar won this seat, defeating the Congress's Raj Babbar. The BJP has retained Raj Kumar Chahar and the Congress has fielded Ramnath Sikarwar as the INDIA bloc candidate, while the BSP has fielded Brahmin candidate Ram Niwas Sharma, making the contest interesting. Mainpuri The Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat, a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party, has remained under the control of Mulayam Singh Yadav's family since 1996. The SP patriarch himself represented it five times in the Lok Sabha, while the Congress last won here in 1984. In 2019, Mulayam Singh Yadav won by defeating the BJP's Prem Singh Shakya. Following his demise in 2022, Dimple Yadav, the wife of Akhliesh Yadav, won the seat in a by-poll. In 2024, the BJP's Jaiveer Singh is challenging Dimple Yadav, while Gulshan Dev Shakya is the BSP candidate. Budaun After a few flip-flops , the Samajwadi Party finally fielded Aditya Yadav, the son of party leader Shivpal Yadav. It is Adtiyas electoral debut. Initially, the SP had named Dharmendra Yadav for the seat but replaced him with Shivpal, who wanted the ticket for his son and the party finally succumbed to his demand. Budaun seat has been with SP continuously from 1996 to 2014. It was wrested by the BJP in 2019. This time, BJP has replaced the sitting MP Sanghmitra Maurya with Durvijay Shakya. Firozabad Known as the city of glass, Firozabad is another citadel of the Samajwadi Party. However, it lost to the BJP in 2019. This seat elected SP chief Akhilesh Yadav in 2009 and his cousin Akshay Yadav in 2014. The Congress's Raj Babbar defeated Akhilesh's wife, Dimple Yadav, in the 2009 by-poll. In 2024, the BJP has announced Vishwadeep Singh as its candidate, while the SP has repeated Akshay Yadav, son of SP veteran Ram Gopal Yadav. Etah The BJP has been winning here since 1989, while the SP won it twice, in between, in the 1999 and 2004 elections. In 2009, former UP chief minister Kalyan Singh won as an independent, supported by the SP, while the BJP's Rajveer Singh, the son of Kalyan, won this seat in 2014 and 2019. The party has retained Rajveer as its candidate again in 2024, while Davesh Shakya is the candidate for SP. Bareilly In Bareilly, the BJP has replaced its eight-time MP and former Union Minister Santosh Gangwar, who continuously won the seat from 1989 till 2019, barring 2009 when then Congress leader Praveen Aron, now with the Samajwadi Party, defeated him by a thin margin. This time, the BJP has replaced him with Chhatrapal Singh Gangwar, who will take on Aron. The BSP got a jolt when the nomination of its candidate, Chhote Lal Gangwar, was rejected in Bareilly. Anola The BJP has won this seat six times since 1989 and three times since 2009. The SP has won the seat twice, while the Congress last won it in 1984. Dharmendra Kashyap of the BJP, Neeraj Maurya of SP and BSP's Abid Ali are the main contestants. Phase III: The key numbers Total Seats: 10 Date of Poll: May 7 Total Districts covered: 12 Total voters: 1.89 crore Male voters: 1.01 crore Female voters: 87.48 lakh Third gender voters: 752 Total polling centres: 12,339 Total Polling booths: 20,415 Mixed feelings for Gandhis in UPs rice bowl Meerut: Battle of perception with Ram chant in land of revolution

Seizures Worth Rs 33,000 Crore in UP During Election Period

Lucknow: Law enforcement agencies in Uttar Pradesh have intensified their crackdown on illegal activities like the distribution of cash and liquor to ensure free, fair, and peaceful Lok Sabha elections in compliance with the instructions of the State Election Commission. According to the Election Commission, from March 1 to April 28, liquor, drugs, precious metals, and cash worth Rs 32,977.30 lakh (Rs 329.773 crore) were confiscated in the state. On April 28 alone, seizures amounted to liquor, drugs, and cash worth Rs 182.07 lakh across the state. Ten parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh are scheduled to go to polls in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 7. These constituencies include Agra, Hathras, Firozabad, Etah, Bareilly, Fatehpur Sikri, Alona, Mainpuri, Sambhal, and Badaun. Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa stated, Stringent enforcement of the model code of conduct in the state aims to ensure a fair, inclusive, and secure electoral process free from inducements. He further added, From March 1 to April 28, a concerted effort by various enforcement agencies, including Excise, Income Tax, Police, and Narcotics Department, led to the confiscation of items valued at a total of Rs 32,977.30 lakh. Rinwa provided a breakdown of the seized items, which included Rs 3,211.02 lakh in cash, liquor worth Rs 4,583.70 lakh, drugs worth Rs 21,850.88 lakh, precious metals worth Rs 2,175.30 lakh, and other miscellaneous items totaling Rs 1,156.39 lakh. On April 28, enforcement agencies seized liquor, drugs, and cash worth Rs 182.07 lakh. This included Rs 4.39 lakh in cash, 18,989.75 liters of liquor worth Rs 51.58 lakh, 441,702.58 grams of drugs worth Rs 112.38 lakh, and 5,916 grams of precious metals worth Rs 13.72 lakh. On the same day, authorities seized 361.70 kg of drugs valued at approximately Rs 90.42 lakh in the Phulpur assembly constituency of Prayagraj. Additionally, 5,916 grams of drugs worth around Rs 13.71 lakh were confiscated in the Agra South assembly constituency. Tragedy Strikes as Dam Burst Claims Dozens of Lives in Southern Kenya Congress Authorizes Mallikarjun Kharge to Decide Candidates for Amethi, Raebareli Congress Fields Top Leaders in Punjab for Lok Sabha Polls

Lok Sabha elections: Drugs, liquor, cash worth Rs 329 crore seized in Uttar Pradesh

Lok Sabha elections: Drugs, liquor, cash worth Rs 329 crore seized in Uttar Pradesh In compliance with the instructions of the State Election Commission to ensure free, fair and peaceful Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, the law enforcement agencies have intensified the crackdown on illegal activities such as distribution of cash and liquor in the state. Subsequently, liquor, drugs, precious metals, and cash worth Rs 32,977.30 lakh (Rs 329.773 crore) were confiscated in the state from March 1 to April 28, the Election Commission said on Monday. On April 28 alone, liquor, drugs, and cash worth Rs 182.07 lakh were seized across the state, it added. 10 parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will go to polls in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held on May 7. The list includes Agra, Hathras, Firozabad, Etah, Bareilly, Fatehpur Sikri, Alona, Mainpuri, Sambhal, and Badaun. Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer, Navdeep Rinwa said, The stringent enforcement of the model code of conduct in the state aims to ensure a fair, inclusive, and secure electoral process free from inducements. From March 1 to April 28, a concerted effort by various enforcement agencies--including Excise, Income Tax, Police, and Narcotics Department--led to the confiscation of items valued at a total of Rs 32,977.30 lakh. This seizure included Rs 3,211.02 lakh in cash, liquor worth Rs 4,583.70 lakh, and significant quantities of drugs worth Rs 21,850.88 lakh, alongside valuable metals worth Rs 2,175.30 lakh and other miscellaneous items totalling Rs 1,156.39 lakh, he said. On April 28, Excise, Income Tax, Police, Narcotics Department, and other enforcement agencies seized a total of Rs 182.07 lakh worth of liquor, drugs, and cash, he said, adding that this included Rs 4.39 lakh of cash, 18989.75 litres of liquor worth Rs 51.58 lakh, 441702.58 grams of drugs worth Rs 112.38 lakh, and 5916 grams of precious metals worth Rs 13.72 lakh. On April 28, authorities seized 361,700 grams (361.70 kg) of drugs valued at approximately Rs 90.42 lakh in the Phulpur assembly constituency of Prayagraj. Additionally, 5,916 grams of drugs worth around Rs 13.71 lakh were confiscated in the Agra South assembly constituency, he added. (ANI)

From bangles to bottles: the changing face of Firozabads glass industry

Firozabad, which was once the largest producer of glass bangles in the world, has shrunk its production by about 50% in the last decade, resulting from a dip in demand due to a cultural shift among women and a mandated change to cleaner fuel and its rising costs. The Hindu explores how manufacturers have shifted to the mechanised production of glass bottles in order to keep thriving

LS Polls: SP candidate Akshay Yadav confident of win, says one-sided contest in Firozabad

The News Mill

Opposition Slams Adityanath Over Starvation and Biryani Remarks

Opposition Slams Adityanath Over Starvation and Biryani Remarks Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, Samajwadi Party and BSP, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said the ''poor were victims of starvation'' and the ''terrorists were fed biryani'' when they were in power. The chief minister addressed separate election rallies in Sikandrarau for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Anup Pradhan from Hathras seat and Firozabad constituency candidate Thakur Vishwadeep Singh. ''The poor, farmers, women and youth were not in the agenda of the SP (Samajwadi Party), Congress and BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party). They only did vote bank politics, they committed the sin of dividing the caste and society,'' Adityanath said in Hathras. ''During their (opposition governments) time, the poor were victims of starvation and the terrorists were fed biryani. The farmers used to commit suicide and the corrupt people used to enjoy life of luxury, he added. Adityanath said the ''mafia used to wield power as patrons'', but work is being done today in the country and the state ''without any discrimination''. He claimed that more work was done under the BJP rule than what was done by the Congress, Samajwadi Party and BSP. Even in the meeting in Firozabad, the chief minister hit out at the Congress and the Samajwadi Party stating these people want to give permission for cow slaughter on the land of Ram and Krishna. Taking aim at the Congress, Adityanath said the people of 'Discovery of India' think that Ram and Krishna never existed. He said that on one hand the Modi government is giving free ration to 80 crore people of the country, on the other hand even the ration of even the poorest of the poor was wasted during the Congress rule. ''After Kashi and Ayodhya, we have moved towards Mathura,'' Adityanath said. Targeting the Samajwadi Party, he asked whether they have ever done anything for the development of Braj region. Taking potshots at Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Adityanath said that these people did not think anything outside their family and keep defaming caste in the name of nepotism. His sympathy is not with the poor but with the mafia, he added. Voting will be held in the third phase in Hathras and Firozabad on May 7.

Question existence of those who questioned existence of Lord Ram: CM Yogi's appeal to people

Question existence of those who questioned existence of Lord Ram: CM Yogi's appeal to people Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday appealed to the public to question the existence of those who had once questioned the existence of Lord Ram. In the public meeting organized at Tilak Inter College in Firozabad on Saturday, he not only enumerated the achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government but also attacked Congress and the Samajwadi Party. He said, 272 seats are required to form the government, but whether it is SP or Congress, they are not fighting on that many seats alone. Congress says that Ram did not exist. That means India did not exist before this. People should question the existence of those who question the existence of Ram and Krishna. Enumerating the works of his party, he said, Highways, and expressways are being built in the country, and railway and metro facilities have increased. IIMs, IITs, AIIMS were also formed. There was a time when the Firozabad product was on the verge of closure. Central and state officials used to harass local artisans. As soon as we came to power, we dealt with it strictly. Today, One District, One Product of Uttar Pradesh is popular in the entire country. CM Yogi accused the Congress of taking away the ration but, today 80 crore people are getting ration. He said, SP had tried to withdraw the cases of terrorists who attacked Ayodhya, Sankat Mochan Mandir, judiciary, CRPF Camp Rampur. The court had to intervene. He asked the public whether they would vote for SP which is playing with the people and security system of the country? He further said, Ayushman Bharat cover is given to 60 crore people, Jan Dhan account of 50 crore people, who do not have treatment facility, they wrote me a letter and I make sure that they get the money in their bank accounts. CM Yogi claimed that the houses of the poor now had toilets. 10 crore poor people got free cylinders. It has been asked to provide free cylinders during Holi and Diwali. Electricity for 2.5 crore houses, houses for 4 crores. Did we see anyone's caste or religion? That's why the slogan of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas was given. This is the concept of Ramrajya, said Yogi. Referring to the discussion on inheritance tax, he said Congress divided the country in 1947. Now they are saying that they will get every person's property surveyed and take half. Your forefathers did the hard work and will distribute it to those, Rohingyas and Bangladeshis. People by whom the population is being increased. They are playing with India's security. The rights of backward and scheduled castes will be robbed and SP will support them. Congress says that it will implement the personal laws of minorities. We have to see their intentions. Before their plans can succeed, they have to be brought to the right place with the power of votes. BJP removed Article 370 and has put the last nail in the coffin of terrorism. Will enforce UCC also when coming back in power, added Yogi. BJP has fielded Thakur Vishwadeep Singh as its candidate for the constituency while SP has filed Akshay Yadav. Polling in the Firozabad Lok Sabha seat is slated to be held in the third phase of general elections on May 7. (ANI)

Cattle Menace: A Pressing Issue for Farmers in Western Uttar Pradesh

Cattle Menace: A Pressing Issue for Farmers in Western Uttar Pradesh ''When I come to work in the fields in the morning, stray cattle are standing there, ready to attack. I was once hit on the back and was hospitalised for a week,'' says Keshav Kumar, a farm worker in Pilkhana village in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras. Besides, he said, he has been chased by cows and Nilgai multiple times. Dharmendra Singh, a farmer, in Firozabad's Akilabad village, says, ''I lost 30 per cent of my produce due to stray cattle entering my field. There is drought, unseasonal rain and now this stray cattle menace. What are we supposed to do?'' Instances like these are not uncommon in western Uttar Pradesh and encapsulate the stray cattle menace that farmers have been struggling with for several years now. The problem, exacerbated by recent policy changes, has emerged as a major issue in western Uttar Pradesh in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The importance of the issue can be gauged from the fact that it is the sole deciding factor for some. ''I voted for 'phool' (referring to the BJP's party symbol lotus) in the last two general elections thinking that this problem would be solved. As the problem remained unresolved, I didn't vote for them in the assembly polls and plan to vote for the SP this time,'' Kumar said. In villages across western Uttar Pradesh, the sight of emaciated stray cattle roaming around has become all too common and so is the sight of destroyed crops. When they can't enter fields, many cows feed on plastic and garbage. Farmers are also upset over the state government's decision to reinforce an old order that no barbed wires should be used to fence fields. Now, most farmers use plain wires or saris and dupattas to fence fields. ''They are of no use. We don't understand why the government cannot understand our losses,'' said Akilabad farmer Singh. According to the 2019 Livestock Census, there are over 1.90 crore cattle in Uttar Pradesh, including 62,04,304 milch cows and 23,36,151 dry cows. The indigenous female cattle population increased by 10 per cent in 2019 compared to the previous census in 2012. The population of exotic and cross-bred cattle increased by 26.9 per cent from 2012 to 2019. The stray cattle menace has also added to farmers' economic woes as they do not know what to do with cows that have stopped giving milk. ''Earlier, we would give the old cow in exchange for 10-20 per cent of the down payment and get a new one. But with the new policy, even that is not possible. We have no option but to either sell them illegally or abandon them,'' said a farmer who did not wish to be named. In May 2017, the Centre banned the sale of cattle for slaughter in animal markets across the country. The environment ministry notified the stringent 'Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017' under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Every village in western Uttar Pradesh has a cow shelter but they are at capacity.

SP names nephew from Kannauj, 5 Yadav family members in fray

LUCKNOW: Putting a lid on the possibility of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, the party on Monday announced the name of his nephew Tej Pratap Yadav as the party candidate from Kannauj. With the announcement of Tej Prataps name, now five members of Yadav family are in fray Dimple Yadav from Mainpuri, Akshaya Yadav from Firozabad, Aditya Yadav from Badaun and Dharmendra Yadav from Azamgarh. Initially, Akhilesh had shown an inclination to contest from the seat but after his run-in with jailed SP leader Azam Khan over Rampur Lok Sabha seat, the SP chief withdrew himself from the contest from any seat in the state. During Akhileshs meeting with Azam Khan in Sitapur jail on March 22, the latter had suggested the SP chief to contest from Rampur but Akhilesh did not agree to it and announced that he would not contest the Lok Sabha polls at all. However, after the twists and turns that followed, the party fielded Maulana Mohibullah Nadvi from the Rampur. The other factor that played out for SP chief to decide against contesting the LS polls was that it would have got him engaged in his own campaign restricting him from canvassing for the party candidates across the state. The ground reports from the eight constituencies of the first phase strongly suggest that INDIA bloc is on a sound footing. Consequently, it was decided that the SP chief leading the party campaign across the state would be a better option, said a senior party leader. Earlier, Tej Pratap had contested 2014 Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll at 26 after SMulayam Singh Yadav vacated the seat. In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he had headed Mulayams election campaign in Mainpuri. In 2022 assembly polls, he led Akhileshs campaign in Karhal.

BJP's Firozabad candidate ages 15 years in a decade, sparks outcry

BJPs Firozabad candidate ages years in a decade sparks outcry

Voting in third phase in UP: Nomination papers of 104 candidates found valid, 78 papers rejected

Voting in third phase in UP: Nomination papers of 104 candidates found valid, 78 papers rejected The nomination papers of 104 candidates were found valid during scrutiny on Saturday, while the nomination papers of 78 candidates were rejected for the elections to be held in 10 Lok Sabha constituencies in the third phase in Uttar Pradesh, a senior official of the Election Commission said. The nomination papers of BSP candidate Chhotalal Gangwar was rejected as it was incomplete. In the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, the process of filing nomination papers for 10 seats Sambhal, Hathras, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etah, Budaun, Amla and Bareilly began from April 12 and the scrutiny of nomination papers took place on Saturday. The date for withdrawal of nomination papers has been fixed on April 22 and voting in these seats will be held on May 7. Returning Officer of Bareilly Lok Sabha constituency Ravindra Kumar said that the nomination papers of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Master Chhote Lal Gangwar was rejected during the scrutiny because it was incomplete. In the third phase, a number of prominent candidates, including Union Minister and BJP candidate SP Baghel from Agra and Samajwadi Party candidate Dimple Yadav from Mainpuri, are trying their luck. Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Navdeep Rinwa said that in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections-2024, a total of 182 candidates filed nominations for 10 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state. He said that the nominations of 104 candidates were found valid and the nomination papers of 78 candidates were rejected during the scrutiny of nomination papers on April 20. The CEO said that 21 candidates filed their nomination papers for Sambhal Lok Sabha constituency, out of which the nomination papers of eight candidates were rejected and the nomination papers of 13 candidates were found valid. A total of 18 candidates filed the nominations for Hathras (SC) constituency, out of which eight were rejected and the nomination papers of 10 were found valid. In Agra (SC), the nomination papers of all 11 candidates were found valid, whereas for Fatehpur Sikri Lok Sabha constituency, the nomination papers of 9 out of 19 candidates were rejected and the nomination papers of 10 were found valid. In Firozabad, out of total 22 candidates, the nomination papers of 15 candidates were rejected and the nomination papers of seven candidates were found valid. A total of 12 candidates filed nominations in Mainpuri, out of which the nomination papers of four candidates were rejected and the nomination papers of eight were found valid. In Etah, out of the total nominations of 14 candidates, the nomination papers of four were rejected and those of 10 candidates were found valid. Out of a total 16 candidates in Budaun, the nomination papers of four candidates were rejected and the nomination papers of 12 candidates were found valid. In Aonla Lok Sabha constituency, out of 21 candidates, the nomination papers of 12 candidates were rejected and nine were found valid. An official said that a person named Satyaveer had filed his nomination papers as a BSP candidate from Aonla Lok Sabha seat in Bareilly district, but his nomination papers were rejected as he was not the candidate authorised by the party.

BJP names Vishwadeep Singh as candidate from Firozabad, sparks discontent

BJP names Vishwadeep Singh as candidate from Firozabad sparks discontent

Minister dropped but wife named in Punjab, Shivaji descendant in Maharashtra

NEW DELHI : The BJP dropped yet another Union minister from its 12th list of candidates for seven Lok Sabha seats, and instead fielded his wife from the Hoshiarpur constituency in Punjab. The party has also fielded a descendant of an erstwhile royal Maratha family of Chhatrapati Shivaji, who is currently a Rajya Sabha member, from the high-profile Satara seat. Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale received BJPs recognition on a seat from where Praful Patel of Ajit Pawar-led NCP, now a BJP ally in the ruling Maharashtra coalition government, was eager to contest. Bhosale won the Satara seat in 2019 as a candidate of the then-undivided NCP. A few months later, he resigned and joined the BJP. But in the bypolls that followed, Bhosale lost as a BJP candidate against NCPs Shrinivas Patil. Later, the BJP nominated him to the Rajya Sabha in April 2020. His term is due to end in 2026. The third notable BJP candidate on the list is Abhijit Das, who will lock horns with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjees nephew Abhishek Banerjee, from Diamond Harbour that votes on June 1 in the final phase of the elections. Das is the former president of the partys South 24 Parganas district unit and is said to be very articulate. Das belongs to RSS and had unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha elections in 2014. With his candidature, the party has announced all 42 candidates from West Bengal. In Punjab, the BJP dropped Union minister Som Parkash from Hoshiarpur, but fielded his wife Anita Som Parkash from the seat. The party believes Som Parkash holds subtantial influence in the constituency. The BJP had won the Hoshiarpur seat in 2014. In 2019, Som Parkash won the seat defeating Congress Raj Kumar Chabbewal. In the previous polls, the party was at loggerheads with its erstwhile ally SAD over the Hoshiarpur seat. The BJP has now fielded former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu from Bathinda that is currently represented by SADs Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Sidhu is the daughter-in-law of senior Akali leader Sikander Singh Maluka and joined the BJP recently with her husband Gurpreet Singh Maluka. A 2011-batch IAS officer, she would be pitted against Congress Jeet Mohinder Sidhu and AAPs Gurmeet Singh Khudian. Interestingly, SAD has not yet announced its candidate from Bathinda. The BJPs latest list came only three days ahead of the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The partys Central Election Committee also announced candidates in Uttar Pradesh. The party has so far fielded candidates for 430 seats out of the total 543 LS seats. In Uttar Pradesh, the party has fielded Vishwadeep Singh from Firozabad and Shashank Mani Tripathi from Deoria, dropping MPs from these seats. A party source said the anti-incumbency on these two seats was the prime factor behind dropping the MPs. Former IAS officer to fight from Bathinda The BJP has fielded former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu from Bathinda, currently represented by SADs Harsimrat Kaur Badal.Sidhu is the daughter-in-law of Akali leader Sikander Singh Maluka. She is pitted against Congress Jeet Mohinder Sidhu and AAPs Gurmeet Singh Khudian.

BJP benches Firozabad MP, fields son of former MP

Thakur Vishwadeep Singh, son of Thakur Brajraj Singh, contests Firozabad against Akshay Yadav and Satyendra Jain, promising development. Voting on May 7. Acknowledges BJP's 2019 victory margin, Akshay's defeat factors, and Shivpal Singh Yadav's influence.

LS polls 2024: BJP replaces Union minister Som Parkash with his wife in Hoshiarpur

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Tuesday named seven more candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, fielding Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji, from Satara in Maharashtra. The ruling party dropped Union minister Som Parkash from Hoshiarpur in Punjab but decided to field his wife Anita Som Parkash to keep the influential local leader's support intact. It has fielded former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu, who comes from an influential political family long associated with the Akali Dal, from Bathinda. In Uttar Pradesh, the party has fielded Vishwadeep Singh from Firozabad and Shashank Mani Tripathi from Deoria, dropping its sitting MPs from the two seats. It has named Abhijit Das from Diamond Harbour in West Bengal. With the new list, the party has named its candidates for around 430 seats for the polls to 543 seats starting from April 19. The party also released its second list of 21 candidates for the Odisha assembly polls, fielding former minister Dilip Ray from Rourkela. So far, the BJP has named 133 candidates for the sate polls.

Keshav Prasad Maurya accuses Akhilesh Yadav of verbally attacking his late father in Mainpuri

Keshav Prasad Maurya accuses Akhilesh Yadav of verbally attacking his late father in Mainpuri Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya Monday accused Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav of hurling abuses at his late father and dubbed the opposition party as a factory that produces ''rioters, goons, criminals and mafia''. ''A Samajwadi Party (SP) membership is a certificate of hooliganism,'' Maurya claimed. The BJP leader addressed a meeting of party workers here after its candidate from the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat Jayveer Singh filed his nomination papers. ''Akhilesh Yadav abused my late father in the Assembly when I went to Saifai to pay tributes to his father. This is the difference of values between the BJP and the SP,'' the state tourism minister said. Mainpuri is the last fort of the Samajwadi party, ''uproot it and make the lotus bloom'', he said. Sharpening his attack on the SP chief, Maurya said, ''Akhilesh Yadav, who became the chief minister through inherited politics, turned the state into a resting place for goons, criminals and mafia. Only one slogan was raised in the entire Uttar Pradesh 'Jis gari mein SP ka jhanda, us gari mein baitha gunda (vehicles carrying SP flags have goons sitting in them)'.'' He also asked voters to ''end nepotism and make the BJP victorious''. ''Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and with the blessings of the people, the BJP will win all 80 (LS) seats in the state,'' Maurya added. Jayveer Singh will be contesting against sitting MP Dimple Yadav, wife of SP chief Yadav. Polling in Mainpuri, along with Bareilly, Sambhal, Hathras, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad, Etah, Budaun and Aonla, will be held in the third phase of the Lok Sabha election on May 7.

Uttar Pradesh shocker: 23-year-old Dalit girl set on fire by lover, parents in Firozabad

A 23-year-old Dalit girl was set on fire by three persons allegedly over a financial dispute in the Dakshin area of Firozabad district in Uttar Pradesh on Friday.

BJP yet to announce names for 12 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh

Several factors are at play with the BJP looking for new candidates in some constituencies, while at the same time, trying to keep caste equations in its favour, in several other seats. These 12 constituencies also include Balia, Ghazipur, Machhlishahr which borders Prime Minister Narendra's seat Varanasi in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Kaiserganj, Firozabad, Prayagraj, Bhadohi, Deoria, Kaushambi, and Phulpur.

UP: Neither wife nor son, Brij Bhushan firm on Kaiserganj poll arena

LUCKNOW : While the suspense over a dozen seats of Uttar Pradesh, including Kaiserganj, continues as the BJP is yet to announce its candidates, the sitting tainted MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is believed to be adamant about contesting from Kaiserganj himself. Notably, Singh has been facing legal proceedings in connection with the alleged sexual exploitation of female wrestlers while being the president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). He was removed from the post following prolonged protests by the wrestlers in New Delhi last year. As per sources, owing to the taint, while the ruling party had given him the options of fielding the candidate of his choice either his wife Ketaki Singh or son Prateek Bhushan Singh from Kaiserganj, even after several rounds of talks, the sitting MP does not seem to be ready to budge and is pushing for his own candidature. However, the final call will be of the central leadership of the BJP. Not only the central leadership but also the state unit of BJP feels that facing the allegations of sexual exploitation of female wrestlers, Singhs candidature would give ammunition to the Opposition to target the ruling alliance in the field. The BJP insiders claim that the state unit of the party has already sent its report to the central leadership regarding the 12 seats on which the candidates have to be announced. It is expected that the list for these 12 seats will be released before April 10. Of the 12 seats, including Rae Bareli, Deoria, Kaiserganj, Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Ghazipur, Ballia, Phulpur, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Bhadohi and Machhlishahar, on which the candidates are yet to be announced, BJP had lost three Mainpuri, Rae Bareli and Ghazipur winning the rest nine in the 2019 elections. According to party sources, the nine sitting MPs may be changed in the ensuing elections. The BJP is also waiting for the Congress to announce its candidate in Rae Bareli. The party will assess the situation and then move ahead with its choice of candidates, which include MLC Dinesh Pratap Singh, who had contested against Sonia Gandhi in 2019.

Tainted Brijbhushan 'adamant' on contesting from Kaiserganj but BJP top brass may not oblige

LUCKNOW: While the suspense over the BJP candidates in a dozen seats in Uttar Pradesh continues, the sitting MP from Kaiserganj Brijbhushan Sharan Singh is believed to be adamant at contesting from there again. It may be recalled that Brijbhushan Sharan Singh has been facing legal proceedings in connection with the alleged sexual exploitation of female wrestlers while being the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). He was removed from the post following a prolonged protest by the wrestlers in New Delhi last year. Sources said that owing to the taint, the ruling party had given him the option of fielding the candidate of his choice -- either his wife Ketaki Singh or son Prateek Bhushan Singh -- from Kaiserganj, but even after several rounds of talks, the sitting MP does not seem to be ready to budge and is pushing for his own candidature. However, the final call will be of the central leadership of the BJP. Not only the central leadership but the state unit of the BJP also feels that following the allegations of sexual exploitation of female wrestlers, the candidature of Brijbhushan Sharan Singh would give ammo to the opposition to target the ruling alliance. BJP insiders claim that the state unit of the party has already sent its report to the central leadership regarding the 12 seats for which the candidates have to be announced. BSP treads cautiously, fields Muslim candidate against Rajnath, OBC against Dimple Yadav Of the 12 seats -- Rae Bareli, Deoria, Kaiserganj, Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Ghazipur, Ballia, Phulpur, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Bhadohi and Machhlishahar -- the BJP had lost three -- Mainpuri, Rae Bareli and Ghazipur -- winning the remaining nine in the previous general elections in 2019. As per party sources, the nine sitting MPs may be changed in the ensuing elections by the party central leadership. The BJP is waiting for the Congress to announce its candidate in Rae Bareli to assess the situation and then move ahead with its choice which includes MLC and Yogi minister Dinesh Pratap Singh who had contested against Sonia Gandhi in the 2019 battle. The other name that may be considered is that of Manoj Pandey, the SP turncoat, or a surprise candidate imported from outside Rae Bareli. Similarly, in Ballia, Virendra Singh Mast may be sent to some other seat. Rita Bahuguna Joshi had already announced her retirement from electoral politics during the 2022 UP Assembly elections when she was seeking a ticket for her son Mayank who later joined the SP. In Bhadohi, the party may consider the candidature of Congress turncoat and former MP Rajesh Pandey, while the candidate for Ghazipur would be decided in consultation with J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha who had lost the last election to BSP candidate Afzal Ansari now contesting from the SP. 2024 LS Polls: SP Caught in bind yet again, this time in Badaun over Shivpal's candidature

PM Modi to address booth committees members, panna pramukhs of UP virtually tomorrow

PM Modi to address booth committees members, panna pramukhs of UP virtually tomorrow Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the digital Namo rally through the Namo app at all the booths of 10 Lok Sabha seats falling under the third phase of elections in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. On this occasion, he will also talk to some booth presidents. State General Secretary Sanjay Rai said that in the third phase, voting will be held on May 7 in Sambhal, Badaun, Bareilly, Aonla, Etah, Hathras, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad and Mainpuri. Prime Minister Modi will connect with the workers through the Namo app on April 3 at 1 pm at 22,648 booths in all these Lok Sabha seats. Sanjay Rai said that the Prime Minister will address the booth committee members and panna in-charges in the Namo rally. He said that state, regional and district officials will also join this Namo rally by visiting their booths. He said that the Prime Minister himself will talk to some booth presidents and will also get information about the party's activities. Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases beginning April 19. Uttar Pradesh, which sends the maximum number of MPs, 80, to Parliament, will vote in all seven phases. Earlier in the 2019 elections, proving all the arithmetic of the SP-BSP 'mahagatbandhan' in Uttar Pradesh wrong, the BJP and its ally Apna Dal(S) won 64 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats. The alliance partners, Akhilesh Yadav's party and Mayawati Party's, won 15 seats. Voting for phases one and two will be held on April 19 and April 26. Next, the state will once again poll in phases three and four on May 7 and May 13. The Uttar Pradesh electorate will also vote in phases five, six and seven on May 20, May 23 and June 1 respectively. The votes will be counted on June 4. The elections for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held from April 19 to June 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4. (ANI)