Farmers Movement Archive

ASSEMBLY POLLS 2022: Notification issued for Ph-I of UP poll

New Delhi, January 14The Election Commission today issued the notification for Phase-I of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. With the notification for polling in 58 segments of 11 districts in western UP, the filing of nominations has begun.For the first phase of the seven-phase elections in the state, nominations can be filed till January 21. Scrutiny will take place on January 24 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is January 27. The polling will take place on February 10.Elections for the 403-member UP Assembly will start from western part of the state on February 10 and move eastward.The first phase will see polling to major segments where the impact of the year-long farmers’ agitation would be felt.These segments include Kairana, Shamli, Budhana, Purqazi, Muzaffarnagar, Khatauli, Meerapur, Siwalkhas, Sardhana, Hastinapur, Meerut, Meerut Cantt and Meerut (South), Loni, Bagpat, Baraut and Chaprauli among others.Majority of these seats are with the BJP, which is facing the ire of farmers, led by BKU national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, whose native village Sisauli falls in Muzaffarnagar.The SP-RLD combine is presenting a major challenge to the ruling BJP in the western UP sector, with Tikait-led Jats sympathetic towards the RLD.Late RLD chief Ajit Singh had called up Rakesh Tikait last January after the latter broke into tear on being forced to vacate the protest site along UP-Delhi border at Ghazipur. Locals in the area say Tikait’s teary appeal to Jats and Ajit Singh’s public support to him at the time turned the tide, putting the ruling BJP on the defensive.Yogi eats at Dalit’s house, targets SPGorakhpur: UP CM Yogi Adityanath had a meal at a Dalit household here on Friday and said during the SP rule there was “social exploitation” and not “social justice”, whereas the BJP govt was working for the development of every section of society. Adityanath’s visit to the Dalit family came a little before Swami Prasad Maurya and Dharam Singh Saini joined the SP accusing the BJP govt of being anti-Dalit. tns

The Tribune

2022-01-15