Summer of discontent in the Hindi heartland
If there is one striking difference between the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, its the lack of a wave - be it a Modi wave, NDA wave, INDIA wave or even a Mandir wave. With the hyper-nationalist fervour in 2019 after the Pulwama blasts and Balakot air strikes, several voters clearly stated that the BJP candidate didn't matter and that their vote for the party was essentially one for Modi. This time, in the absence of a national narrative, local candidates and local issues are playing a role in determining voter choices in Uttar Pradesh. The 'Modi factor' isnt strong enough for them to vote for a disapproving candidate. So far, the team and I have travelled to 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh that have voted in the first four phases - from west UP's Ghaziabad, Meerut, Bijnor, Nagina, Saharanpur, Kairana and Muzaffarnagar towards Etawah, Kheri, Dhaurahra, Kannauj, Badayun, Mainpuri and Hathras. We identified influential communities in each constituency and visited villages and townships where these communities have a strong presence to understand how voters are thinking, the issues determining their votes and if and why their voting preferences have changed since 2019. On average, we covered at least two Vidhan Sabha areas in each of the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies. One of the most prominent issues across castes was the agrarian crisis. Even those of the Brahmin community who praised Modi as 'king' and were supporting BJP consistently spoke about their struggles as farmers. One of the specific issues all farmers faced was the menace of the stray cattle that destroyed crops in the fields. With the Yogi government's increased restrictions on slaughterhouses and the fear of cow vigilantes, many farmers are left in a lurch. They are clueless about how to deal with their male cattle, essentially an economic burden on farmers who are anyway dealing with growing financial distress. These policies have robbed farmers of an additional source of income, and they are now forced to abandon their male cattle and older cows and buffalos who can no longer produce milk. The state government has unsuccessfully attempted to build cow sheds to address the issue. The stray cattle run over crops, graze on them and destroy them. The losses thus incurred are substantially higher than the quarterly cash transfer of Rs 500 a month from the central government as part of the much-hyped Kisan Samman Nidhi. Will UP's rural voters spring a surprise in this election? Add to this the shrinkflation in ureathe sacks have become smaller while the price has remained constant. Meanwhile, the state-mandated price for sugarcane has grown by only about Rs 45 a quintal in the last seven years, lower than under previous regimes. This has resulted in the drifting away of several non-Yadav, non-Jat agrarian Other Backward Classes from the BJP in west UP. This includes castes like Lodhi Rajputs, Kurmis, Kushwahas and Sainis, who are mostly marginal farmers. The exact percentage of this shift is hard to determine, but a significant breaking away is evident. When asked about a possible alliance with the BJP during the 2022 UP assembly elections, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary had said, I am not a chavanni (25-paise coin) that can be flipped. Two years later, this March 2, the RLD that has a significant Jat following in West UP, joined the NDA. It was in the hope of consolidating Jat voters for the BJP-led alliance. But in many seats like Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Aligarh and Agra, Jat voters haven't shifted to the NDA to the extent hoped for. The ripples from the historic thirteen-month-long farmers' movement of 2020-21 continue to impact the Jat voters of the region and they remain suspicious of the new alliance. In many of these constituencies, the lower turnout is a result of core BJP communities voting in fewer numbers. Another factor that could hurt the BJP in the first three phases is the massive Rajput panchayats held in Meerut, Kairana and Muzaffarnagar against the party. This was in response to a couple of speeches made allegedly against the community by BJP leaders. On March 22, Parshottan Rupala, a BJP candidate from Rajkot, said, Even kings and royals bowed down to the British but not Rukhi samaj (a Dalit community). He was seen to praise Dalits at the expense of Rajputs and Kshatriyas, whom he accused of entering into roti-beti relations with the British (breaking bread and entering into marital relations). Many also accused the BJP of 'keeping silent' when the caste name Gurjar was inscribed on the statue of Mihir Bhoj who they claim is a Rajput. While there is a level of disillusionment with the ruling party, the opposition INDIA bloc has not been able to win over these communities. As a result, voter enthusiasm has been minimal and many have chosen not to vote. What is also evident is a simmering anger against the ruling dispensation among large sections of the rural and semi-urban poor and even middle classes. Issues of inflation and unemployment are soaring and oft-repeated by voters. In Meerut, many voters talked about how BJPs key campaign points like the scrapping of Article 370 in Kashmir have no impact on their lives. One of them said, We are not buying land there! The anger among the youth was further fuelled when the Uttar Pradesh Constable Recruitment and Promotion 2024 examination was cancelled. The exam was held on February 17 and 18 this year and over 48 lakh aspirants vied for 60,244 posts. It was later revealed that the examination papers had leaked. The state government announced that the exam would be held again after the Lok Sabha elections. Repeated incidents of paper leaks under the Yogi government have increased the despondency among young voters who eye government jobs. Young people from across rural western UP have always eyed a job in the army. The recently unveiled Agniveer scheme has proven to be yet another wet blanket. Apart from the anger on unemployment and inflation that's evident among Dalits across UP, there is another concern. This March 25, BJP MP Anant Kumar Hegde from Karnataka called for 'rewriting' the Indian Constitution, which would not be possible without winning 400 of the 543 seats. At least three other BJP candidates have openly stated the same intention. The videos of their statements have gone viral. So the BJP's slogan of ' Abki baar , 400 paar' has caused a growing insecurity among Scheduled Caste voters about reservation. This includes non-Jatav SC communities, large sections of which have in the past few years been voting for the BJP. Another factor that could have worked in BJP's favour but is proving to be a dampener is that the BSP and SP couldn't ally. In 2019, because of the SP-BSP alliance, on many seats which didn't have a BSP candidate, there was a shift of a substantial number of Dalit votes to BJP. This time, in constituencies like Meerut, Saharanpur, Nagina, Kairana, Etawah, Lakhimpur Kheri and Mainpuri, there is a visible shift of such voters from the BSP to the INDIA bloc, essentially looking to vote for the strongest candidate against the BJP. It must be noted that a substantial share has also been retained by the BSP. In some places, even Muslims are looking to consolidate in favour of not just the strongest candidate against the BJP but also voting beyond traditional patterns. For example, in the Nagina constituency, there is a strong consolidation of both Muslims and Dalits in favour of Chandrashekhar Azad from the Azad Samaj Party. This is because Muslims were looking for an alternative owing to the SP's silence on many issues related to the Muslim community. As one moves further away from west UP, it seems Akhilesh Yadav's PDA slogan - with P for pichhde or backward classes, D for Dalits, and A for alpsankhyak or minorities - has rung a bell. Many voters are also calling it 'Pandit harao abhiyan ' (Defeat the Brahmins campaign). The importance of being Akhilesh Yadav in this Lok Sabha election Women voters in rural areas are particularly upset with the lack of allocation of houses under the PM Awaas Yojana. Village after village, they were keen to show their abysmal living conditions. Many who got gas cylinders for the first time because of the government's much-touted Ujjwala Yojana are back to using clay stoves since they can't afford to refill their cylinders with the skyrocketing prices. Yet, despite the growing discontent among various communities, it would be wrong to underestimate the BJP. Numerically significant castes like Brahmins and Baniyas have consolidated behind the BJP across UP. Also, unlike west UP, the Rajput anger doesn't seem to have much of an impact in central and eastern UP. The BJP still has a strong cadre base across castes. As one voter in Kairana said, The voters are silent and that could mean anything. Nakul Singh Sawhney is an independent documentary filmmaker and founder of Chalchitra Abhiyaan. (Views are personal) Amethi: A tryst with destiny that wasnt to be
How I saved Rs 4,500 on a set of wipers for my Skoda Superb
BHPian dkaile recently shared this with other enthusiasts. Passenger Side Wiper Change - 22-03-2024 The Driver Side Wiper was last changed on 04-08-2023 and was working perfectly fine but the Passenger Side Wiper was last changed on 04-06-2015 and was nearly 9 years and still working but though a little long in the tooth... lolz. So it was time to get the Passenger side one replaced. Now it comes as a set from Skoda and they were asking around 5000 bucks for a set, whereas I had just changed my Baleno wipers to Hella ones for just 300 bucks and they were working perfectly!! So why the propensity to ask 5k for these?? Searched in the local market, not immediately available in Meerut a spare parts dealer assured to procure for around 900 bucks for the pair. Searched online and I hit one which was just for 489 bucks for a pair!! with a nearly 4-star rating and with Amazon, I could always return/replace it if it was not worthwhile. So I bit the bullet and ordered and received these ones from Valeo from the seller, which I have heard good things about: They were the exact size needed for Superb 2012 MK2 - 24 and 18 Now there was a difference in the attaching latch, as is visible in the photo, and I was disappointed at first glance. But when I fitted it to the car, it fit like a glove and clicked and locked into place. Relieved!! The quality is 'superb' and both my wipers are now giving a crystal clear wipe of the windshield without any streaks. Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
Six dead as car hits truck in UP's Hapur
HAPUR: Six people have died and one was grievously injured when their car collided with a truck here, police said on Tuesday. The incident occurred late on Monday night near Brajghat toll plaza, when the driver const control over the car and it hit the truck, they said. The injured person has been referred to a hospital in Meerut. Superintendent of Police Abhishek Verma said the accident took place at around 12.30 am. Those killed have been identified as Rohit Saini (33), Anoop Singh (38), Sandeep (35), Nikki Jain (33) and Vipin Soni (35), all residents of Ghaziabad, and Raju Jain (36), a resident of Meerut, police said.
Viral video: Car runs over woman toll plaza staff on Delhi-Meerut Expressway
Kashi toll plaza staff injured in hit-and-run; CCTV footage shows driver accelerating. Sharma urges admin action. Musunuru toll plaza tragedy: 3 dead, 2 critical after vehicle collision in Andhra Pradesh.
On Camera, Car Runs Over Woman Employee Of Toll Plaza Near Meerut
A woman employee of the Kashi toll plaza on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway was run over by a car leaving her seriously injured after an argument.
At the Kashi toll plaza on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, a driver struck and ran over a female toll worker before fleeing the scene.
6 Killed As Car Hits Truck In UP's Meerut
Six people have died and one was grievously injured when their car collided with a truck here, police said on Tuesday.
Caught on camera: Car hits, runs over woman toll plaza staff on Delhi-Meerut Expressway
Caught on camera: Car hits, runs over woman toll plaza staff on Delhi-Meerut Expressway Meerut (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 14 (ANI) A woman staff member at the Kashi toll plaza in the Paratpur area on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway sustained serious injuries after being hit and run over by the driver of a car, who fled after the incident. A video of the incident captured on CCTV shows the driver of the car talking to the woman before abruptly accelerating due to which the employee falls on the bonnet of the vehicle and slides off as it picks up speed. The woman staff member was rushed to hospital with serious injuries. A car coming from Delhi misbehaved with our staff. Upon asking for the toll, the car drove over the staff member, injuring her severely. This is a serious incident and the administration should take proper action so that such incidents do not happen again. Anil Sharma, the manager of Kashi Toll Plaza told ANI. A complaint has been filed and police are investigating, including reviewing the CCTV footage from the toll booth to identify the culprit. Earlier, on April 24, at least three people were killed and two were left critically injured when their speeding car hit a lorry from behind near the Musunuru toll plaza in Kavali, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. (ANI)
On cam: Driver flees after running over toll plaza staff
An unidentified car driver ran over a female worker at Kashi toll plaza on Delhi-Meerut Expressway. Viral video captures the driver engaging with the worker before abruptly fleeing, prompting calls for proper action by Anil Sharma.
Namo Bharat emerges as the busiest station on the Delhi-Meerut RRTS Corridor
Namo Bharat emerges as the busiest station on the Delhi-Meerut RRTS Corridor The Ghaziabad station of the Namo Bharat has emerged as the busiest among the eight currently operating stations, a statement said on Monday. The Namo Bharat train services recently crossed a significant milestone by transporting over one million passengers since its inauguration. It is currently operational on the 34-km stretch between Sahibabad and Modi Nagar North on the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor, the statement said. ''Among the eight stations on the route, Ghaziabad station has emerged as the busiest, with most passengers travelling between Ghaziabad and Modi Nagar North. This popularity can be attributed to the presence of numerous educational institutions, including engineering colleges and coaching centres, catering to a large student population who are the most frequent users of the Namo Bharat,'' it said. The onset of summer has seen a rise in the ridership among the working professionals and senior citizens as well. The lost property office situated at the Ghaziabad station has become popular among the passengers, having returned numerous items, including cash, documents, ID cards, lunch boxes and keys since its inception on October 23. The retrieved item details are available on the RRTS (Regional Rapid Transit System) Connect application as well as the RRTS website, it said. Since its inception, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has prioritised passenger convenience in every aspect of the project. The passengers have the luxury of booking tickets from various ticketing options, including digital QR code-based tickets through the RRTS Connect mobile application and paper QR code-based tickets with 'one-tap' or origin-destination selection, it said. Additionally, the passengers can generate paper QR codes through UPI, National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), Debit-Credit Card and Bank Note from the Ticket Vending Machines (TVM) installed at the stations, the statement said. With a focus on accessibility and inclusivity, each Namo Bharat train comprises six coaches, with 72 seats in a standard coach and 62 seats in a premium coach. A dedicated compartment adjacent to the premium coach is reserved for women, while seats are also allocated for individuals with disabilities and senior citizens across other coaches. To ensure passenger assistance and convenience, a trained attendant is present on every Namo Bharat train, it stated. The RRTS stations are equipped with modern facilities for a convenient and comfortable travel experience, including drinking water and washrooms in both paid and unpaid areas. Notably, the women's washrooms feature diaper changing stations for passengers travelling with infants, the statement said. As construction progresses swiftly on the remaining segments of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, the NCRTC remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering a world-class transportation system by the anticipated operational deadline of June 2025, it added.
Video: Car rams woman staff at Delhi-Meerut toll plaza, escapes scene
Video Car rams woman staff at DelhiMeerut toll plaza escapes scene
Important Update: Apply for UPCATET 2024 Until May 17th & Edit Applications Now
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology (SVPUAT) Meerut has extended the registration deadline for the UP Combined Agriculture and Technology Entrance Test (UPCATET) till May 17, 2024. Candidates aspiring for undergraduate and postgraduate agriculture programmes are urged to complete their registrations promptly to avoid last-minute inconveniences.
Amid heatwave, 1 million individuals travelled on Namo Bharat so far
NEW DELHI: Going by the Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS) data, a staggering 1 million individuals have boarded Namo Bharat till date, with a 17 km section inaugurated initially and a subsequent 34 km stretch opened to the public from March 2024. The 34 km operational stretch of the DelhiGhaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor is proving to be a saviour for passengers amid the blistering heat, providing a comfortable and convenient travel experience Notably, travellers often encounter not only heat but also dust, and pollution while on the move. In this stretch, there were no reliable and comfortable public transport systems like Namo Bharat for commuters. Hence people now prefer Namo Bharat Trains for comfortable and convenient travel. Maintaining a comfortable ambiance, each coachs temperature is regulated at nearly 25 degrees Celsius, adjusted seasonally to accommodate varying weather conditions such as summer, winter, and monsoon. Recognizing the heightened demand for cooling during summer, the AC system of the Namo Bharat train has been tailored accordingly. Not confined to the younger demographic, both professionals and seniors also prefer Namo Bharat for travel, especially during hot weather spells. Furthermore, to conserve the conditioned air, the Namo Bharat train employs a passenger-controlled door operation system, a pioneering feature in the countrys railway infrastructure. By facilitating passengers to manually open doors using push buttons only when required, energy consumption is minimized, preventing the escape of cool air, thus alleviating stress on the AC system. This innovation underscores both energy efficiency and passenger convenience. The air-condition system undergoes regular maintenance and checks, including the cleaning of AC filters every 15 days, ensuring optimal functionality.
Meerut MLA Denied Relief by Allahabad HC in 1995 Case
Meerut MLA Denied Relief by Allahabad HC in 1995 Case The Allahabad High Court has refused to set aside the criminal proceedings against Samajwadi Party MLA from Meerut Rafiq Ansari in a 1995 case, saying that he failed to appear before the trial court despite the issuance of around 100 non-bailable warrants between 1997 and 2015. Dismissing an application filed by Ansari, Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh observed, ''Non execution of non-bailable warrant against the sitting MLA and allowing him to participate in assembly session will set a perilous and egregious precedent.'' The court added that by allowing individuals facing serious criminal charges to evade legal accountability, ''we risk perpetuating a culture of impunity and disrespect for the rule of law''. Ansari had filed an application under section 482 (inherent powers of high court) seeking quashing of criminal proceedings pending against him in a criminal case before the MP/MLA court of the additional chief judicial magistrate, Meerut. The case was registered at Nauchandi police station in Meerut in 1995. After the investigation, the first charge sheet was submitted against 22 accused persons and thereafter another supplementary charge sheet was submitted against the applicant Ansari, of which the concerned court took cognizance in August 1997. As Ansari had not appeared before the court, a non-bailable warrant was issued on December 12, 1997. Afterwards, despite repeated non-bailable warrants (101 in number) and processes under section 82 (proclamation for person absconding) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), the applicant did not appear before the trial court. During the hearing in the high court, the counsel for Ansari sought quashing of the criminal proceedings against the applicant on the ground that 22 accused persons, originally charged in the case, have already been acquitted after facing trial, hence, proceedings against him should be quashed. At the outset, the court noted that evidence recorded in a criminal trial against any accused is confined to the culpability of that accused only and does not have any bearing upon a co-accused who has been or will be tried separately. Dismissing Ansari's petition, the court observed that securing acquittal by co-accused cannot be considered relevant circumstances and a ground for exercising the power under section 482 CrPC to quash the proceedings against those accused, who have not faced trial. The court, in its order passed on April 29, also directed that a copy of its order be sent to the principal secretary of the UP legislative assembly for placement before the Speaker of the state assembly for information. The court also directed the director general of police to ensure the service of a non-bailable warrant already issued by the trial court against Ansari, if the same has not yet been served.
Redemption and Triumph: Stories of India's Olympic-Bound Relay Teams
Redemption and Triumph: Stories of India's Olympic-Bound Relay Teams Redemption, fulfilment of a father's dream, a big step in a nascent career and justification of choices made early in life -- Olympic qualification meant different things to the different members of the 4x400m Indian men's and women's relay teams who booked their Paris berths on Monday. PTI gives a low-down on the eight runners -- four men and four women -- who finished second in their respective qualifying heats at the World Athletics Relay in Nassau, Bahamas to make the Olympic cut. THE WOMEN'S TEAM: ----------------------- MR Poovamma: ========== For Olympian Poovamma, it's a redemption of sorts after she faced the ignominy of a two-year ban for a doping offence in 2021 before getting a favourable decision after the intervention of Kerala High Court. The 33-year-old, a multiple medallist in the individual 400m and 4x400m relay race in the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games, returned to action during the Goa National Games last year after serving a two-year ban. ''Finally, I can return to action now. The ordeal is over, though it left me mentally distressed,'' she had told PTI then. The Arjuna Awardee is one of the most decorated athletes in the country, having won a women's 4x400m relay gold and 400m individual silver in the 2013 Asian Championships. She went on to win a gold and a bronze in the women's 4x400m relay and 400m individual event. The Karanataka-born, who married another international athlete from Kerala, also won a gold each in the women's 4x400m and mixed 4x400m relay races in the 2018 Asian Games. Rupal Chaudhary: =========== She scripted history by becoming the first Indian athlete to win two medals -- silver in women's 4x400m relay and bronze in the individual 400m -- at the World U20 Athletics Championship in 2022 in Colombia. The 19-year-old hails from a family of modest means. Her father is a small farmer in Shahpur Jainpur village in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut district. As the closest stadium to her base -- Meerut -- does not have suitable synthetic tracks for training, she would endure a two-hour journey to Delhi for two days ever week to train. She became the second Indian to win a medal in the women's 400m after Hima Das' historic gold in the 2018 edition of the championships in Finland. Jyothika Dandi Sri: ============ Hyderabad-based Jyothika, who ran the second leg on Monday, took to sports to fulfil the dreams of her father who wanted his daughter to feature in the Olympics. The 23-year-old is quite close to it, though the final selection of the relay team rests in the hands of the Athletics Federation of India. She was part of the Indian women's 4x400m team that won a bronze in the Asian Championships last year. She won a 400m gold in the National Open Championships in and a silver in Goa National Games last year. Subha Venkatesan: ============ The 24-year-old from Trichy in Tamil Nadu is the daughter of a construction worker and a homemaker and she took to sports on the insistence of her maternal grandfather who works in the police department. Trained initially at the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu's (SDAT) Centre of Chennai, Subha went on to win medals in national meets before she became part of the women's 4x400m relay team that won a silver in the 2018 Asian Junior Championships. THE MEN'S TEAM ------------------- Muhammed Anas: =========== The 29-year-old Anas is the most well-known men's quarter-miler in the country and the national record holder. Already a two-time Olympian, Anas has won medals at the Asian Games, Asian Championships and 2016 he became is only the third Indian quarter-miler (individual 400m) to participate at the Olympics after KM Binu and Milkha Singh. He was a part of the Indian men's 4x400m and mixed 4x400m relays in Tokyo Olympics. He was also part of the men's 4x400m team that broke the Asian record in the World Championships last year and won the gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. Anas hails from Nilamel village in Kerala and his father Yahiya was a state-level athlete. Anas has often stated that he became interested in running after seeing Jamaican legend Usain Bolt dashing down the track in the 2008 Olympics. He was a long jump champion at his school, but shifted to track on the advice of coaches. At the 2016 senior nationals, Anas clinched the 400m silver in his first attempt and broke the 46-second barrier at the Indian Grand Prix and Federation Cups that year for the first time. Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi: =================== Born in Palakkad, Kerala, Muhammed Ajmal was a football player just like many youngsters in his state. He participated at the U-19 state level football tournaments until his coach recommended a shift to running. He was a 100m sprinter first and then began competing in 400m. Amoj Jacob: ======== Born in Kerala but brought up in New Delhi, Jacob's sporting journey began during his time at St. Xavier's School in Rohini, when his coach suggested that he try becoming a sprinter. The 25-year-old was initially interested in football. His mother is a nurse at a Delhi hospital. He was part of the gold winning 4x400m relay team at the 2017 Asian Championships in Bhubaneswar, besides winning the Hangzhou Asian Games gold in the same event. Arokia Rajiv: ======== Hailing from a village near Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, athletics runs in Arokia's blood as his father Y Soundararajan was a state level sprinter and long jumper. Arokia's father Soundararajan was a bus driver while his mother a daily wager. The 32-year-old Armyman was part of the gold-winning 4x400m mixed relay team and he settled for a silver medal in the men's 4x400m relay at the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta. He was part of the Tokyo Olympics 4x400m relay team that broke the then Asian record.
Caught on CCTV: Meerut businessman's standoff with masked men who shot at him
Caught on CCTV Meerut businessmans standoff with masked men who shot at him
Video: Narrow escape for Meerut businessman after masked men shoot at him
Video Narrow escape for Meerut businessman after masked men shoot at him
Blaze erupts at thread factory in Meerut, no casualties
Brick kiln owner killed in Meerut village, buried in RRTS yard
NCRTC Chief Inspects Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor
NCRTC Chief Inspects Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor National Capital Region Transport Corporation's managing director Kuldip Narayan on Saturday undertook a comprehensive inspection of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor, according to a statement. His visit commenced with an inspection of the under-construction section between Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar in Delhi, it said. Narayan reviewed the progress of the ongoing construction activities, emphasising the importance of timely execution and adherence to safety protocols, it said. He proceeded to the operational RRTS corridor between Sahibabad and Modinagar North and Duhai Depot to evaluate the operational efficiency and passenger experience. Later, Narayan headed to the Meerut section of the corridor where he closely examined the construction progress and also interacted with the engineers and on ground staff members, it stated. Currently, a 34-km section between Sahibabad and Modinagar North of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, comprising eight stations, is operational and construction on the remaining stretches is going on. The entire 82-km corridor, spanning from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Modipuram in Meerut, is expected to be operational by June 2025, it added
RLD national spokesperson quits party over BJP ticket to Brij Bhushan Singhs son
Meerut (UP): National spokesperson of BJP ally Rashtriya Lok Dal Rohit Jakhar has resigned from the party in protest against the BJP giving a ticket to the son of incumbent MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing criminal charges of sexually harassing women wrestlers. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is an accused in the sexual []
Five Students Killed, One Injured After Car Falls Into Gorge On Mussoorie-Dehradun Road
As per latest updates, the only survivor from the accident, a girl named Nancy, have now been admitted to a hospital in Meerut
Delhi: Udit Raj, Bidhuri, Khandelwal file nominations
NEW DELHI: Udit Raj from Congress while Praveen Khandelwal and Ramvir Singh Bidhuri from BJP were among 33 candidates who filed their nominations in Delhi on Friday. Union Minister Piyush Goyal, accompanying Khandelwal in a roadshow that started from the Red Fort, claimed that the Congress is going to be wiped out from entire north India after the ongoing election. Addressing a gathering ahead of Bidhuris roadshow in South Delhi, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami asserted that a wave in favour of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is sweeping the country. A large number of BJP workers carrying party flags and raising Jai Shri Ram slogans marched along the roadshows of Bidhuri and Khandelwal, who greeted people from open-top vehicles. Congress candidate Udit Raj from the North West Delhi constituency was accompanied Delhi minister Gopal Rai and senior Congress leaders. Khandelwal (64), in his self-sworn affidavit, he declared movable assets of Rs 1.62 crore and immovable assets of Rs 5 crore. The movable and immovable assets of his wife are worth Rs 81.20 lakh and Rs 4.08 crore, respectively. He also reported movable assets of Rs 18.71 lakh under the Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) Act. Khandelwal has liabilities of Rs 3.85 crore while that of his wife is Rs 2.20 crore. He completed his graduation from Delhi University Ramjas College. Congress nominee Udit Raj holds a roadshow Bidhuri (71), the BJPs candidate in South Delhi, has declared movable assets of Rs 11.73 crore. His spouse has movable assets worth Rs 12.11 crore. According to his 2022-23 Income Tax Returns, Bidhuri had an income of Rs 14.93 lakh. He also has Rs 5.50 lakh cash in hand. His movable assets are worth Rs 11.73 crore while that of his spouse are valued at Rs 12.11 crore. The BJP candidate has immovable assets valued at Rs 9.35 crore while that of his spouse are worth Rs 9.42 crore. He pursued his graduation from Delhi Universitys Deshbandhu College. Raj (66), the Congress North West Delhi candidate, completed his MA from Osmania University in 1988 and LLB from MMH College, CCS University, Meerut, in 1995. He received an honorary doctorate from Bible College and Seminary, Kota, in 2003. He has shown an income of about Rs 1 crore (Rs 1,00,07,030) in his 2022-23 Income Tax Returns. His wifes income was Rs 40.61 lakh.
Congress' Udit Raj, BJP's Khandelwal, and Bidhuri Nominate for Lok Sabha Polls in Delhi
Congress' Udit Raj, BJP's Khandelwal, and Bidhuri Nominate for Lok Sabha Polls in Delhi The Congress' Udit Raj and the BJP's Praveen Khandelwal and Ramvir Singh Bidhuri were among 33 candidates who filed their nominations in Delhi on Friday for the Lok Sabha elections. Polling for the national capital's seven seats will be held in the sixth phase on May 25. The last date to file nominations is May 6. So far, 90 candidates have filed their papers for Delhi's seven seats. Khandelwal (64), the BJP's Chandni Chowk candidate, filed his nomination at the office of the returning officer at GT Road in Alipur. In his self-sworn affidavit, he declared movable assets of Rs 1.62 crore and immovable assets of Rs 5 crore. The movable and immovable assets of his wife are worth Rs 81.20 lakh and Rs 4.08 crore, respectively. He also reported movable assets of Rs 18.71 lakh under the Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) Act. Khandelwal has liabilities of Rs 3.85 crore while that of his wife is Rs 2.20 crore. According to his Income Tax Returns of 2022-23, he had an income of Rs 4.56 lakh. He completed his graduation from Delhi University' Ramjas College. Bidhuri (71), the BJP's candidate in South Delhi, has declared movable assets of Rs 11.73 crore. His spouse has movable assets worth Rs 12.11 crore. According to his 2022-23 Income Tax Returns, Bidhuri had an income of Rs 14.93 lakh. He also has Rs 5.50 lakh cash in hand. His movable assets are worth Rs 11.73 crore while that of his spouse are valued at Rs 12.11 crore. The BJP candidate has immovable assets valued at Rs 9.35 crore while that of his spouse are worth Rs 9.42 crore. He pursued his graduation from Delhi University's Deshbandhu College. Raj (66), the Congress' North West Delhi candidate, completed his MA from Osmania University in 1988 and LLB from MMH College, CCS University, Meerut, in 1995. He received an honorary doctorate from Bible College and Seminary, Kota, in 2003. He has shown an income of about Rs 1 crore (Rs 1,00,07,030) in his 2022-23 Income Tax Returns. His wife's income was Rs 40.61 lakh. He also has three criminal cases pending against him for alleged disobedience of order by a public servant, negligent act likely to spread infection of disease, among others. He declared that he has not been convicted in any case. Raj has Rs 6.70 lakh cash in hand while his spouse has Rs 50,000. He has a liability of Rs 2.65 crore (Rs 2,65,54,788) and his wife Rs 56.92 lakh (Rs 56,92,338). He has government dues of Rs 11.83 lakh as part of the liability. His wife has jewellery worth Rs 30 lakh. He has movable assets worth Rs 5.54 crore while that of his wife is are valued at Rs 71.21 lakh. He has ancestral land worth Rs 16 lakh, excluding the value of his ancestral house. Raj's total immovable assets, including ancestral land, are valued at Rs 60 lakh while that of his wife are worth Rs 3.09 crore. Rajan Singh (26), the first third gender candidate in the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi, also filed his papers from the South Delhi seat. Wearing a dhoti, cap and gold jewellery, Singh reached the returning officer's office in Saket alone and filed his nomination papers. His election affidavit shows Rs 1 lakh cash in hand and total movable assets worth Rs 15.10 lakh, including 200 grams gold and about Rs 10,000 in a bank account. Singh declared no immovable assets in his poll affidavit. According to details provided by the chief electoral officer, nine candidates have filed their nominations for South Delhi and 10 from New Delhi. The maximum number of candidates in the fray are in Chandni Chowk at 17. AAP's Somnath Bharti, Kuldeep Kumar and Mahabal Mishra wll file their nominations on Saturday.
Allahabad High Court grants bail to two men accused of firing shots at Asaduddin Owaisi
The Allahabad High Court has granted conditional bail to Sachin Sharma and Subham Gurjar, accused of attempting to murder on MP Asaduddin Owaisi by firing near Meerut Delhi Highway Toll Plaza. A Single Bench of Justice Pankaj Bhatia passed this order while hearing a Criminal Misc Bail Application filed by Sachin Sharma and Another. The []
Spark Lucknow beat K News Meerut by 6 wkts
UP Govt Official Meets with Farmers in Noida Amid Protests
UP Govt Official Meets with Farmers in Noida Amid Protests Uttar Pradesh Revenue Council Chairman Rajneesh Dubey on Thursday held a meeting with farmers' unions and leaders in Noida and Greater Noida to discuss solution for their woes, which have led to frequent protests in the area. The representatives and local leaders of the Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha, Bharatiya Kisan Parishad, Jai Jawan Jai Kisan Morcha, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU-Tikait), BKU Manch, BKU Lok Shakti, BKU Non-Political and Bharaiya Kisan Sangharsh Samiti among other farmers' unions attended the meeting. According to a statement by the district information office, the revenue council chairman while talking to the representatives of all the farmer organisations obtained information about their demands and problems. ''During the meeting the farmers also raised their demands, including the farmers being given the right to 10 per cent developed land against their land acquired by the authorities, increasing the limit of 450 square meter to 1,000 per square meter under the Population Regulations 2011. They also demanded that building rules should not be implemented on the houses of the farmers under construction in the villages,'' according to the statement. ''The chairman was also apprised about the demands for granting permission to carry out the commercial activities on 100 per cent developed land, increasing circle rate and employment etc.,'' the statement added. Meerut Divisional Commissioner Selva Kumari J, Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma and the chief executive officers of Noida and Greater Noida authorities Lokesh M and N G Ravi Kumar attended the meeting, it added. Gautam Buddh Nagar's twin cities of Noida and Greater Noida have witnessed multiple protests by the local farmers' groups over the years and their demonstrations, which have at times disrupted law and order have been a pressing political issue in the region. Such protests have been joined by the farmers from over 200 villages in Noida and Greater Noida who have been demanding increased compensation and developed plots in lieu of their land acquired by the local authorities and the NTPC in Dadri area in the past.
What are UP's Muslim voters up to in this Lok Sabha election?
Till about a decade ago, the voting behaviour of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh used to be a decisive factor in about two dozen Lok Sabha seats. The main political parties in those elections, such as the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress, whether in alliance or separately, used to bank heavily on the support of Muslims. This used to be the norm from the 1970s till the general election of 2014, when the Narendra Modi wave made all such factors redundant. Riding high on it, the Bharatiya Janata Party got the majority community to vote in such numbers so as to make the Muslim vote bank irrelevant. However, ten years of BJP rule at the Centre has taken away much of the wind from beneath that wave. With two phases of polling having already been completed in the state, the significance of the electoral heft of Muslim voters has once again come into play with both the SP-Congress alliance and the BSP renewing their efforts to wrest Muslim support. UP's Muslims have over the last few years and till this election been caught in a dilemma as they have not been able to consider any one party in the state their benefactor. Earlier, from the heydays of Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party used to be their go-to party since the late former CM had made the welfare of Muslims nothing short of a sacred political pledge for himself and his party. But as Akhilesh Yadav inherited the party in 2017, he very quietly shelved the pro-Muslim policy and started pursuing a brand of ambivalent-- often so-called soft -- Hindutva. In the recent past, Akhilesh vociferously backed the construction of a statue of Parashuram, the deity revered by Brahmins, proposed the construction of a huge Krishna temple in Vrindavan, inaugurated a Lord Krishna statue in Saifai, and generally avoided having Muslim leaders in his core team of Samajwadi Party after the jailing and subsequent sidelining of Azam Khan. All this changed ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In order to counter the charge of ignoring Muslims, Akhilesh skipped the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, visited the family residence of late Mukhtar Ansari in Ghazipur to pay condolences (albeit belatedly) and risked disaffection in the party by ignoring upper caste-Hindus for key bye-elections. The importance of being Akhilesh Yadav in this Lok Sabha election Mayawati, meanwhile, had appeared to be softer towards the BJP in the beginning, but her Bahujan Samaj Party has still stuck to fielding Muslims in key elections in the past few years, and the trend is highly visible in this year's list as well. The party's candidates for 54 seats so far includes 14 Muslims. Then there is the AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, who had declared his intention to fight from all seats in collaboration with Apna Dal (K) and some smaller parties with much fanfare, but the initiative seems to have lost steam. The Muslim vote in UP According to several estimates, Muslims account for 19% to 23% of the state's population. Based on figures from various organisations and development programmes, the districts with high Muslim population (above 25%) are: Rampur 50.57%, Moradabad 47.12%, Bijnor 43.04%, Saharanpur 41.95%, Muzaffarnagar 41.30%, Amroha 40.78%, Balrampur 37.51%, Bareilly 34.54%, Meerut 34.43%, Bahraich 33.53%, Shrawasti 30.79%, Baghpat 27.98%, Ghaziabad 25.35%, and Siddharthnagar 29.23%. Polling was completed in the first phase on April 19 in eight constituencies -- Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur and Pilibhit. The eight constituencies where voting took place on April 26 were Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahar, Aligarh, Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Mathura. Of these 16 constituencies, at least 11 constituencies have a Muslim population above 20%. There are indications that in these two phases, Muslim voters may have resorted to voting to bring about a change, and the candidate's faith may not be a factor. This has been often referred to as actical voting where the sole aim is to ensure the defeat of a candidate whose party is considered to be apathetic to Muslims interests. Advantage INDIA bloc? In this case, voting to ensure the BJP's candidates defeat could have led Muslim voters to support either the SP-Congress INDIA bloc, or the BSP. It appears that the community could have preferred the former in most places, while the BSP could be preferred only in places where the INDIA combine is thought to be weaker. This is endorsed by Professor Hilal Ahmad, a veteran political analyst and social scholar. He says that Muslim voters appear to be in favour of the INDIA bloc, regardless of the result. In many districts, there have been reports of voters, including women, having voted in favour of the SP-Congress combine, he said, but added emphatically that the Muslim voter is totally silent with no proclamations from community leaders whatsoever. This, however, does not mean that the results will be follow the same pattern in all the Muslim-dominated seats. For the record, the 2014 Lok Sabha election saw the BJP winning at least eight such seats, including Amroha, Bijnor, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Nagina, Rampur, Saharanpur and Sambhal. But in 2019, the SP-BSP fighting in alliance, won 15 seats including in Muslim-dominated Amroha, Bijnor, Moradabad, Rampur and Sambhal. Another fact to be remembered is that despite general perception that Muslims were voting against the BJP, the party succeeded in getting a percentage of the Muslim votes in the 2022 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. This came out in a post-election survey by CSDS-Lokniti which suggested that least eight per cent of the Muslim votes went to the BJP. Also, the BJP has gone into the 2024 election in alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal which has been favoured by Muslim voters in its stronghold areas. Even during the campaign for the first phase, BJP leaders accompanied RLD leaders in Muslim-dominated areas. UP battle shifts from Jat land to Yadav stronghold All this could mean on the one hand that Muslims are disillusioned that no party has shown faith in them, but rather than abstaining, they will vote for the candidate considered to be the BJP's strongest rival. On the other hand, they could also accept the BJP candidate for the simple fact that the state has a BJP government headed by Yogi Adityanath and no purpose may be served in getting identified as a non-BJP voter till 2027 (when the next Assembly election is scheduled). According to Anshuman Shukla, a veteran political analyst and columnist, although Muslims have increasingly voted in a unified way, political and social mobilization has highlighted divisions along sub-identities like caste and sect among them. This explains the BJP's outreach -- and success -- with Pasmanda Muslims, a term that includes backwards, Dalits and tribal Muslims. According to many researchers, the held belief of Muslims voting en bloc may not be completely true, an idea also suggested in a study Mapping Muslim Voter Behaviour in India by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Even some Muslim scholars agree that Muslims are increasingly getting divided along caste and sectarian lines, an example of which is the lukewarm response to Asaduddin Owaisi after he announced his decision to contest in UP with the Apna Dal (K). Anshuman Shukla says that even though figures show that Muslims could play a crucial role in deciding the result in more than 25 seats in UP, the results will show a different picture. Kashi: A date with the present
CCSU Hall Ticket 2024 Available for Download: Check Your Exam Center and Details
Chaudhary Charan Singh University, formerly known as Meerut University, has announced the release of admit cards for the annual and even semester examinations covering various courses such as BCom, BSc, BA, BBA, BCA, MA, MCom, MSc, BEd, BPEd, and others.
Kashi: A Date With The Present
First of a four-part series VARANASI: In the mind of India, Varanasi or Kashi is an ancient space suspended in an unbroken continuum, not a project under construction. Its life is in the cultural imagination, entwined with centuries-old personal socio-religious historiescycles of birth and deathembedded far more deep than Ayodhya. The locals breathe this air too. Real antiquity is a historical detour when you keep encountering the refrain: Paanch hazaar saal purana sheher. Navigating between those five thousand years and the five-year cycles of modern democracy is, then, the peculiar fortune of Kashi. Its 2024, and elections to the 18th Lok Sabha are approaching. A different kind of continuity unfolds here too, of coursea prime minister is going for his third win. A sense of assuredness spreads up from the ghats, as it were, which stand like watchful sentinels of a lived experience. Lifted up into the city proper, you are thrown headlong into a bustling desi lifescape in all its contemporary variety. Here, what you find is continuity in conversation with change at many talkative streetcorners. Antiquity aside, various modern ages seem to coexist here. Baba Vishwanaths temple has an expansive, spanking new, 21st century corridor. Its high walls, with stone cut in rectangular patterns, also strangely remind you of Soviet architecture. The Banaras Hindu University exudes a century old Indo-Gothic charm. The Gyanvapi mosques 17th century architecture, of course, is often the subject of front-page headlines. Negotiating its place under the scorching sun, caught between Hindutva and high-rises, Varanasi balances itself between an old-world raison dtre and a newfound VIP-ism, like a trapeze artist. Its an uneasy cohabitation. The new tourism boom has steadily encroached upon the old spiritual ambience, which is slowly fading away. Just like a lot of old India. In a 15-minute walk up from Dashaswamedh ghat alone, about 300 new guesthouses have come up to cater to the new rush of religious touristsa good number of young among themfrom Pune, Rajkot, Meerut, Coimbatore, even Seoul. Evening time, they settle on plastic chairs to witness a Ganga aarti through bulb-lit bamboo arches. This new spirituality is not quiet: mantras, bhajans and then the Maha Tandav Aarti ring out from modern music systems. Kashis bargain between the ancient and the modern Even the cool wind from the river seems to hold its breath till its over. At the Pappu ki Adi tea stall, where even PM Modi once stopped by for a sip of its famous lemon tea, the hoi polloi brushes shoulders with professors from BHU, the odd poet, or locally hand-crafted intellectuals. The politics of the day is inescapable, though the city seems slightly disengaged from all the hullah on TV channels. Things are strangely cool. Perhaps we catch the fever at its onsetVaranasi votes only on June 1, in the seventh phase. But theres no sign of a wave or a narrative to get that lemon tea boiling over. Politics seems cast in a repeating pattern of high rectangular stone: Aayega toh Modi hi. Nothing much is left to conjecturethe question, if any, is only about margins of victory. How many vote will Modi pull in. Will it be 10 lakh this time? Turnouts in the west of the state have been tepid. For the party, Varanasi must stand out. Amit Shah, on a recent stopover, did only worker connectin other words, orange alert. Nonetheless, the constituents do speculate about the margin. Will Ajai Raistate Congress chief, local toughie and veteran of many a Lok Sabha joustlose his deposit or put up a real challenge? Very few believe there could be a downward trend for Modi. Broad-spectrum development has been, and is being, delivered as never beforeroads, bridges, bypasses and yes, the imposing temple corridor (better caught with evening lighting). Only an odd voice, a young IT professional at that, laments: Yes, but at what cost? They say you can reach the airport in 20 minutes now. Whats the need to reach so fast? That speed has come at the cost of 3,000 trees. That denudation means a population breathing toxic air. Wont that ultimately prove costlier? Theres no serious Opposition to raise these vital questions. Most of Varanasi is thrilled with the boom, though. Says Samir Mathur, whose tourist bureau takes in both local and international traffic: The visa regime is still quite restrictive, so my foreign business is still down, not recovered from Covid. But look at the domestic flow! Modiji was right, apne desh ke taraf dekho (think local). The economy here is booming. He has little patience for other topics in circulation, like any rumoured revamp of the Constitution. Wasnt the first amendment done by Nehru? he counters. Retired bank officer R N Singh nods in agreement: Modi has done real development here. Better infrastructure is still coming up. Says one-time industrialist and culture aficionado Ashok Kapoor: Its the unofficial spiritual capital of India. Here faith has been successfully channelised to fuel a hospitality boom. At the popular Pahalwan lassi shop, a glorified kiosk really, not much has changed. The lassi and the rabri in earthen kulhars can be better enjoyed if you dont look downwards at the wet squalor. Business is brisk at this row of small eateries, even if traffic screeches past and autos and rickshaws threaten to run you down. This is no Singapore-style Little India or Kampong Glam, where the Oriental is preserved in full glory amidst workable modern aesthetics. At least not yet. Varanasi is still as screamingly chaoticcrying for civic attentionas the rest of desi India. Only, traditional Kashi has been replaced by a breathless bustle, from the ghats to the city. The drive to the calm of the cantonment, where everything from the roads to the trees are maintained as they should be, makes the contrast starker. A few complaints float gingerly in the air, like uncertain whispers. Too many tourists. Things becoming too expensive. The compensation for those relocated to make way for the corridor still not evenly distributed. But theres no challenge to Modi. The demographics makes Varanasi a safe seat for the BJP: 6.5 lakh savarna, 6 lakh OBC, 1 lakh Dalit. The latter two, not immune to the charms of Hindutva. Even if Rai corners the 3 lakh Muslim votes in entirety and a sprinkling of his own Bhumihar Brahmins, and despite talk of core vote subsidence, the odds are too long. No wonder Priyanka Gandhi never bothered to respond to Mamata Banerjees suggestion to contest from here. In fact, Rai himself was rumoured to be trying to switch camp to BJP, till the evening before his name was announced, making it all the more tricky for him. Even a former NSUI voice like Ratnakar Tripathi is modest in ambition: Modi will win, but 400 paar is a distant dream. Unemployment, price rise, Agniveer, electoral bonds and a non-consultative way of functioningthese are being talked about. Thoda mohbhang hua hai (theres a touch of disenchantment. Whether in praise or critique, no one talks about the BJP or CM Yogi Adityanath here. Its only Modi. Even though Yogi apparently monitors Varanasi through weekly visits. Amidst the boom, a silent sadness hovers around the dying art of the Banarasi saree. Powerlooms have come up and theres little support for our traditional weavers. As a country we care little for our heritageonly a few still have the skill to weave that legendary saree, says Abhishek Sharma, a policeman whose duty includes taking VIPs tourists around the temple. He can reel out everything about Varanasi, right up to the nuances of Aurangzebs deeds, as he manoeuvres through the quagmire of bylanes. Unsaid words also flow quietly past you in a city thats like a stream of consciousnessa city defined by a river like none else. A city where Bismillah Khans shehnai will never be heard in the fresh morning air again, but where Liaquat Ali still sells flowers that can be offered to Baba Vishwanath for his blessings.
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
Namo Bharat Train operations may soon start for passengers from Sahibabad to Meerut South station. National Capital Region Transport Corporation has started preparations for this. Soon the team of Commissioner Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) may come to inspect the operation of Namo Bharat train between Modinagar North and Meerut South. New Namo Bharat train: Namo [] The post Namo Bharat Train: New Namo Bharat train will run on this route next month, check route and facilities first appeared on informalnewz .
On Camera, UP Teen Collapses, Dies While Dancing At Her Sister's Wedding
An 18-year-old girl, who was dancing at her sister's wedding ceremony in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut died after she collapsed.
UP Girl Collapses, Dies While Dancing At Sister's Wedding Ceremony
An 18-year-old girl, who was dancing at her sister's wedding ceremony in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, died after she collapsed. The girl has been identified as Rimsha and was dancing at her sister's 'haldi ceremony' (a pre-wedding event) on Friday evening. A video of the tragic incident, which has been widely circulated on social media platforms, shows Rimsha trying to match dance steps with her family members to loud music. But, seconds later, she was seen touching her chest and trying to hold the hand of the boy dancing next to her, before collapsing.
TROLLED For Leaving Meerut Right After Polling, Arun Govil Says - `In Mumbai For Party Campaign`
BJP's candidate for Meerut Lok Sabha seat Arun Govil later posted about his visit to Mumbai to the people of Meerut, though it is still unclear in what context he shared it.
BJPs Meerut candidates cryptic post stirs social media storm
In a now-deleted post, BJPs Meerut candidate rued believing a double-faced individual
Third Eye: Arrow back in quiver, savouring aroma, mission namesake
After a whirlwind campaign that received a mix response, TV serial's 'Rama', BJP candidate from Meerut, Arun Govil posted a cryptic tweet on 'X' on Sunday before deleting it and announcing that he is back in Mumbai on party's directions to carry out responsibilities there. Govil's deleted tweet in Hindi said: When somebody's dual face is revealed, one gets more angry at oneself than him as to how did one trust that person blindly. The tweet set political corridors abuzz.
Ramayan Actor Clarifies Why He Left Meerut For Mumbai Day After Polls
The kurta-pyjama on the campaign journey is replaced by shirt and trousers. The BJP scarf is gone and in comes a cap. The sandals have given way to shoes. That's Arun Govil, BJP's Meerut candidate, heading to Mumbai after a month-long stint in UP.
Many Samajwadi Party Leaders Join BJP amidst Lok Sabha Polls
Lucknow: In a blow to the opposition ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, several Samajwadi Party leaders switched allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Lucknow on Sunday. Former Samajwadi Party MLA Jai Choubey, along with several other leaders including Balram Yadav and Jagat Jaiswal, joined the BJP in a ceremony attended by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak. Welcoming the new members, Deputy Chief Minister Pathak said, Former MLA and several district presidents have joined our party today. Welcome and congratulations to all of you. Those working at the block level are also joining us. They have a significant responsibility ahead of them.Addressing the gathering, Pathak emphasized, You all have decided to join the BJP... Under PM Modi's leadership, the BJP has connected with the masses. With PM Modi's guidance, we have committed to building a 'Developed India,' and I trust that all of you will contribute to this vision. Uttar Pradesh, the state with the highest number of parliamentary constituencies at 80, is undergoing polling in all seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections.The first phase of voting was conducted on April 19 in eight parliamentary constituencies, followed by the second phase on April 26 in another eight constituencies.During the second phase, constituencies including Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Aligarh, Mathura, and Bulandshahr cast their votes. The state is scheduled for further polling in phases three and four on May 7 and May 13 respectively, and in phases five, six, and seven on May 20, May 23, and June 1. Vote counting is set for June 4. Controversy Surrounding Congress Manifesto and Allegations of Appeasement PM Modi Criticizes Rahul Gandhi for Double Standards on Historical Atrocities DK Shivakumar Slams Centre for Inadequate Relief Funds
Setback to opposition, several Samajwadi Party leaders join BJP in Lucknow
Amid Lok Sabha polls, Samajwadi Party leaders joined BJP in Lucknow. Praised PM Modi's 'Viksit Bharat'. UP sends 80 MPs to Parliament; voting in phases till June 1 including Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat.
NRIs return home, line up for love of vote
Expatriates from the UAE, including Anwar Naha, returned to Kerala to vote, with chartered flights organized by KMCC. NRIs from various countries made efforts to vote in the Lok Sabha elections, some traveling to coastal states like Kerala and Karnataka, while others returned to Meerut in the north. Expatriates' participation, especially via chartered flights, drew attention in Kerala, while NRIs in Mangaluru and Bengaluru also prioritized voting. Harsha DM and Spoorthi CS flew from Sydney to cast their votes in Bengaluru's Bangalore North constituency.
Lok Sabha elections: 65% turnout in 2nd phase
NEW DELHI: In a relatively improved showing, the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections recorded over 65% voter turnout covering 88 seats across 13 states. The highest voting percentage was recorded in Tripura at 78.53% while the lowest was in Uttar Pradesh at 54.85%. Kerala, Karnataka and Rajasthan accounted for more than half the seats. Elections to 14 seats were held in Karnataka, 13 seats in Rajasthan, 8 seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, 6 seats in Madhya Pradesh, 5 seats each in Assam and Bihar, 3 seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and 1 seat each in Manipur, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir. All eyes are on the high stakes battle in Kerala, where the BJP has been aggressively working to open its account. The contests in Wayanad, where former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is contesting, and Thiruvananthapuram where Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar is pitted against sitting MP Shashi Tharoor, are keenly watched. Other top guns in the fray include actor-turned-politician Arun Govil in Meerut, Karnataka deputy CM D K Shivakumars brother D K Suresh in Bangalore Rural, and former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy (JDS) in Mandya. BJPs Hema Malini, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat are seeking a hat-trick of wins from Uttar Pradeshs Mathura, Rajasthans Kota and Jodhpur, respectively. With the conclusion of the second phase, voting has been completed in 14 states/UTs.
This time BJP will cross 400: BJP Meerut candidate Arun Govil
Arun Govil, BJP candidate from Meerut, aims for BJP to win over 400 seats in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Contesting against Sunita Verma and Devratt Kumar in a triangular race.
BJP's Arun Govil on outsider tag: 'Was born and brought up in Meerut'
BJPs Arun Govil on outsider tag Was born and brought up in Meerut
From Rahul Gandhi to Arun Govil: List of key candidates in Phase 2 LS polls
New Delhi: From Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad, Shashi Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram to Hema Malini in Mathura and Arun Govil in Meerut, the fates of several prominent personalities will be locked by the voters in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on Friday. The second phase has 88 Lok Sabha constituencies including all 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 .
Meerut: Battle of perception with Ram chant in land of revolution
LUCKNOW: Yeh Arun Govil ji ka election hee nahin raha. Yeh Ram ki pratishtha ka election hai (This isnt an election for Arun Govil but for the prestige of Lord Ram). We will do everything to get a high voting percentage, is the common refrain among the BJP cadre in Meerut, the land of revolution, which is poised for a battle of perceptions in the Lok Sabha elections. Remember, the first war of Independence in 1857 began in Meerut. The constituency goes to polls on Friday. While the BJP is riding on the perception of Lord Ram to see Arun Govil, the silver screen Ram of 1987 TV serial, sail through, the Opposition INDIA bloc is confident that Samajwadi Party candidate Sunita Verma will pose a strong challenge because of her popularity among the Dalits and Muslims and her perception of being a good former Mayor. Muslims and Dalits constitute over 50% of electorate in Meerut, making it a formidable combination. The BSP, too, is a claimant of the same combo, with Mayawati giving the ticket to Devvrat Tyagi. Since all the three main candidates belonging to the majority community, the division of Hindu votes is inevitable. It is expected to put the BJP at a disadvantage. BJPs experienced MP Rajendra Agarwal had to make way for Govil. In 2019, Agarwal defeated BSPs Haji Mohammad Yaqoob with a thin margin of little over 4,700 votes. Govil, though tagged as an outsider by his rivals, is commanding attention and respect from the generation of viewers of the 80s, and also the section that got introduced to him via the telecast of Ramayan during the Covid period. Leading the campaign in a simple kurta-pyjama, he is striving to shed his outsider tag through his promise of making Meerut, which is his janmabhoomi (birth place), his karmabhoomi (workplace) and permanent abode. But SPs Sunita, who belongs to the Dalit community, dismisses Govil as a false Ram, claiming elections cant be fought on a past imagery. BJP has committed a mistake by fielding Arun Govil, who does not belong to Meerut. Lord Ram is in Ayodhya, not on roads seeking votes. There could have been some fight if the ruling party candidate hailed from the constituency. I see no challenge, says Sunita, the former BSP mayor of Meerut who switched over to the SP. It was after much flip-flop that Sunita got the ticket. Initially, Bhanu Pratap Singh was the nominee. He was replaced by sitting SP MLA from Sardhana Atul Pradhan who, was seeking the ticket for his wife. Pradhan was finally axed and Sunita chosen instead. However, BJP workers are confident of Govils win, hoping the Dalit-Muslim votes would be divided between the SP-Congress and the BSP. It is also depending on the Jat support from the RLD.
Riveting Contest In Meerut With Ramayan Actor, Dalit Candidate in Fray
The BJP's Arun Govil -- Lord Ram of the hugely popular television serial Ramayan -- set against Samajwadi Party's Dalit candidate Sunita Verma, Meerut is set to be the Ground Zero of one of the most interesting contests in Uttar Pradesh.
Its advantage BJP in 8 western UP seats
Indefatigable: The ruling party expects to counter local factors impacting seats such as Mathura, Meerut and Amroha with organisational strength and Modi appeal
LS polls Phase 2: Rahul, Tharoor in fray; Hema Malini, Om Birla seek hat-trick of wins
New Delhi: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, and actor-turned-politician Arun Govil are among the key candidates in the fray for the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls with BJP's Hema Malini, Om Birla and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat seeking a hat-trick of wins from their respective constituencies.Staggered over seven stages, the first phase of the elections held last Friday for 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories saw a voter turnout of around 65.5 per cent. In the second phase of Lok Sabha polls on Friday, polling is scheduled in all 20 seats of Kerala, 14 of the 28 seats in Karnataka, 13 seats in Rajasthan, eight seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, seven in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Assam and Bihar, three seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and one seat each in Manipur, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir. Gandhi is the sitting MP from Wayanad in Kerala and is seeking re-election. He is pitted against CPI's Annie Raja and BJP's K Surendran. In the 2019 election, Gandhi secured victory by a substantial margin of more than 7 lakh votes against his closest rival, CPI's P P Suneer. Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor is hoping to retain the Thiruvananthapuram seat for the fourth time. He is pitted against Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar from the BJP and CPI's Pannyan Raveendran. Malini, who has represented the Mathura constituency since 2014, is contesting against Congress' Mukesh Dhangar while Om Birla, a two-time MP from Kota, is facing Prahlad Gunjal from the Congress party. Union minister Shekhawat is eyeing a third win from the Jodhpur seat while Congress candidate Karan Singh Uchiyarda would look to put a spanner in the works of the BJP candidate. Tejasvi Surya, the sitting MP for Bangalore South and the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), will face Congress' Sowmya Reddy. Former chief minister of Chhattisgarh and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel is contesting from Rajnandgaon, a stronghold of the BJP for over 30 years. Baghel is pitted against BJP's Santosh Pandey, who won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections succeeding Abhishek Singh, the son of former Chief Minister Raman Singh, also from the BJP. Replacing three-time MP Rajendra Agarwal, who has been holding the Meerut seat since 2004, Arun Govil, famous for portraying Lord Ram's character in Ramayan TV series, is making his electoral debut against BSP's Devvrat Kumar Tyagi and SP's Sunita Verma. In Madhya Pradesh, BJP leader Virendra Kumar Khatik is eyeing a fourth win from Tikamgarh. The Congress has fielded a new face, Pankaj Ahirwar, from the constituency. In 2019, Khatik defeated Congress' Kiran Ahirwar by a margin of over 3.48 lakh votes. The contest for the Alappuzha seat in Kerala has turned into a prestige battle for the Congress with All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal's return to the Lok Sabha poll fray after 2014 as the party looks to wrest the only seat it lost to the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in its landslide 19-1 victory in Kerala in the 2019 polls. Venugopal has not lost any major election in his career. He won the Alappuzha Assembly seat thrice in a row in 1996, 2001, and 2006 and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Alappuzha in 2009 and 2014. In 2019, he did not contest after the party elevated him to the post of the AICC general secretary. Actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi is also in the fray from Thrissur against K Muraleedharan of Congress and VS Sunil Kumar of CPI(M). Sukanta Majumdar, incumbent BJP MP from Balurghat in West Bengal is seeking re-election. He is pitted against Biplab Mitra of the Trinamool Congress and Joydeb Siddhanta of the Revolutionary Socialist Party.
LS polls Phase 2: Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor in fray; Hema Malini, Om Birla seek hat-trick of wins
NEW DELHI: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, and actor-turned-politician Arun Govil are among the key candidates in the fray for the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls with BJP's Hema Malini, Om Birla and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat seeking a hat-trick of wins from their respective constituencies. Staggered over seven stages, the first phase of the elections held last Friday for 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories saw a voter turnout of around 65.5 per cent. In the second phase of Lok Sabha polls on Friday, polling is scheduled in all 20 seats of Kerala, 14 of the 28 seats in Karnataka, 13 seats in Rajasthan, eight seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, seven in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Assam and Bihar, three seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and one seat each in Manipur, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir. Gandhi is the sitting MP from Wayanad in Kerala and is seeking re-election. He is pitted against CPI's Annie Raja and BJP's K Surendran. Wayanad: Left, BJP hopes to prick Rahuls balloon In the 2019 election, Gandhi secured victory by a substantial margin of more than 7 lakh votes against his closest rival, CPI's P P Suneer. Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor is hoping to retain the Thiruvananthapuram seat for the fourth time. He is pitted against Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar from the BJP and CPI's Pannyan Raveendran. Malini, who has represented the Mathura constituency since 2014, is contesting against Congress' Mukesh Dhangar while Om Birla, a two-time MP from Kota, is facing Prahlad Gunjal from the Congress party. Union minister Shekhawat is eyeing a third win from the Jodhpur seat while Congress candidate Karan Singh Uchiyarda would look to put a spanner in the works of the BJP candidate. Tejasvi Surya, the sitting MP for Bangalore South and the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), will face Congress' Sowmya Reddy. Former chief minister of Chhattisgarh and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel is contesting from Rajnandgaon, a stronghold of the BJP for over 30 years. Baghel is pitted against BJP's Santosh Pandey, who won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections succeeding Abhishek Singh, the son of former Chief Minister Raman Singh, also from the BJP. Replacing three-time MP Rajendra Agarwal, who has been holding the Meerut seat since 2004, Arun Govil, famous for portraying Lord Ram's character in Ramayan TV series, is making his electoral debut against BSP's Devvrat Kumar Tyagi and SP's Sunita Verma. In Madhya Pradesh, BJP leader Virendra Kumar Khatik is eyeing a fourth win from Tikamgarh. The Congress has fielded a new face, Pankaj Ahirwar, from the constituency. In 2019, Khatik defeated Congress' Kiran Ahirwar by a margin of over 3.48 lakh votes. The contest for the Alappuzha seat in Kerala has turned into a prestige battle for the Congress with All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal's return to the Lok Sabha poll fray after 2014 as the party looks to wrest the only seat it lost to the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in its landslide 19-1 victory in Kerala in the 2019 polls. Venugopal has not lost any major election in his career. He won the Alappuzha Assembly seat thrice in a row in 1996, 2001, and 2006 and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Alappuzha in 2009 and 2014. In 2019, he did not contest after the party elevated him to the post of the AICC general secretary. Actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi is also in the fray from Thrissur against K Muraleedharan of Congress and VS Sunil Kumar of CPI(M). Sukanta Majumdar, incumbent BJP MP from Balurghat in West Bengal is seeking re-election. He is pitted against Biplab Mitra of the Trinamool Congress and Joydeb Siddhanta of the Revolutionary Socialist Party. Uttar Pradesh: RLD onboard, BJP looks for dominance
Uttar Pradesh: RLD onboard, BJP looks for dominance
LUCKNOW: Having acquired more political muscle through Jat support by taking Jayant Chaudhury-led RLD onboard, the BJP is aiming for a dominance on the eight seats Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Mathura set to vote on April 26, while the Opposition bloc is ready to put a stiff fight. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP, while facing the challenge from SP-BSP-RLD grand alliance, won seven of these seats. Only Amroha was won by the alliance. In 2024, the BJP has reworked its strategy by allying with the RLD and allotting the Baghpat seat to the party that has Jats as its core support base. To regain lost ground, the SP has tied up with the Congress. The BSP is going it alone. In this phase, both SP and Congress are contesting on four seats each as per their seat-sharing arrangement. While the SP has fielded candidates in Meerut, Baghpat, Gautam Buddha Nagar and Aligarh, Congress will contest in Ghaziabad, Mathura, Amroha and Bulandshahr. The fate of former Union minister Mahesh Sharma, who is seeking a third term on the BJP ticket from Gautam Budh Nagar, Ramayan fame actor Arun Govil in Meerut and actress Hema Malini, who is seeking a hat-trick from Mathura, will be decided in this phase. Former Mumbai Police commissioner Satya Pal Singh is not in the fray this time. He had defeated RLD chief Ajit Singh in Baghpat in 2014 and Jayant Chaudhary in 2019. BJP has allotted Baghpat to the RLD and Dr Rajkumar Sangwan has been fielded as NDA candidate. Amroha is set to witness a contest among Congresss Danish Ali, BJPs Kanwar Singh Tanwar, and BSPs Dr Mujahid Hussain. The BSP suspended Ali, who was its MP from Amroha, last year for anti-party activities and he joined the Congress. The BJP stronghold Meerut will witness a three-way fight among BJPs Arun Govil, SPs Sunita Verma and BSPs Devvrat Kumar Tyagi. In Meerut, the S P has fielded dalit candidate Sunita Verma replacing OBC aspirant Atul Pradhan. The BJP won the seat in 1996, losing it to Congress in 1999 and BSP in 2004. BJPs Rajendra Agrawal, who has been denied the ticket this time, won the Meerut seat in 2009, 2014 and 2019. The BJP has replaced Agarwal with Govil. Baghpat, an RLD bastion, is in for a three-cornered contest among RLDs Rajkumar Sangwan, SPs Amarpal Sharma and BSPs Praveen Baisala. Former PM Chaudhary Charan Singh had won the seat thrice in 1977, 1980 and 1984. His son Ajit Singh won it in 1989, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2004 and 2009. However, BJP candidate Sompal won the seat in 1998. A BJP bastion since it came into existence in 2008, the Ghaziabad seat is set for a fight between BJPs Atul Garg, Congresss Dolly Sharma and BSPs Nandkishor Pundhir. The BJP is banking on the popularity of Garg to retain the seat, while BSP plans to cash in on anger among Rajputs in rural areas over denial of ticket to two-time BJP MP and Union minister General (retd) VK Singh. The Congress is working on the Brahmin-Muslim formula. In Gautam Budhh Nagar, Mahesh Sharma, who was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014 and 2019, is seeking a third term as the BJP candidate. He is facing the SPs Rahul Awana, a Gujjar leader, and BSPs Rajendra Singh Solanki, a Rajput. The Bulandshahr reserved seat is all set for a contest among BJPs Bhola Singh, who won the seat in 2014 and 2019, BSPs Girish Chandra, MP from Nagina, and Congresss Shiv Ram Valmiki. In Aligarh, BJPs Satish Gautam (Brahmin), who won the seat in 2014 and 2019, is in the fray for a third term. The BSP has fielded a Brahmin candidate, Hitendra Kumar aka Bunty Upadhyay, a former BJP leader. The SP has nominated Bijendra Singh. In Mathura, two-time BJP MP Hema Malini is seeking a third term. She is pitted against Mukesh Dhangar of Congress and Suresh Singh of BSP. The Congress was earlier planning to field boxer Vijendra Singh in Mathura but he joined BJP.
LS Polls: UP govt to provide medical kits for polling personnel in 2nd phase to combat hot conditions In view of the soaring temperatures in Uttar Pradesh, medical kits to address health conditions such as heatstroke, will be provided to the polling personnel for the voting scheduled on April 26 across 8 constituencies in the second phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Directions have also been issued to ensure all necessary facilities for polling personnel and voters at polling stations. The polling parties will depart for polling stations on April 25 (Thursday) to ensure fair and peaceful elections in the state. The eight constituencies of UP that are going to polls in the second phase include Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, and Mathura. These 8 Lok Sabha seats fall under 9 districts of the state, namely, Amroha, Hapur, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, and Mathura. State Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said that instructions have been given to all the District Election Officers to send polling parties on time for the second phase of voting in 8 Lok Sabha constituencies scheduled for April 26. He mentioned that directions have been issued to all the concerned District Election Officers to ensure necessary facilities for voters and polling personnel at polling centres and polling booths. Before the departure of polling parties, the polling personnel will be provided with medical kits to address health conditions such as heatstroke. Because of the heat, tents, sheds, drinking water arrangements and other necessary facilities will be installed as per the guidelines issued earlier. In compliance with the directives of the Election Commission of India, continuous operations are being carried out across Uttar Pradesh by the Police, Income Tax, Excise, Narcotics, and other departments. For thorough inspection, 480 interstate check posts and 1836 check posts within the state are operational. From March 16 to April 23, 2024, the Police department seized 495 licensed weapons from criminals whereas licenses for 4553 weapons were revoked and deposited. Notices have been issued under the CrPC to 2,532,068 individuals over concerns of peace disruption, of which 2,061,166 have already been restricted. Additionally, the Police department seized 7650 unlicensed weapons, 7753 cartridges, 2900.32 kilograms of explosives, and 411 bombs. Besides, raids were conducted on 3153 illegal weapon manufacturing centres, while 148 were busted. On April 23, licenses for 249 weapons owned by criminals were revoked and deposited by the Police department. Under the CrPC, 36,978 individuals were restricted as a preventive measure. Additionally, 105 unlicensed weapons and 171 cartridges were seized. Raids were conducted on 96 illegal weapon manufacturing centres by the police. (ANI)
Whos Battling For Ram In Meerut? Spoiler: Its Not Who You Think!
Thrilled on knowing his score, class 10 student faints
Meerut: Thrilled upon seeing his score in the class 10 exams, a 16-year-old boy from Uttar Pradesh fainted prompting hospitalisation. Digging into the specifics, the boy identified as Anshul Kumar is from UP's Meerut and his father Sunil Kumar works at a post office on contractual basis. Anshul Kumar, has secured 93.5 percent in the UP Board exam results that were released on Saturday. Thrilled on knowing the score he suddenly fainted. His parents, who tried to wake him up failed and had to shift him to the hospital for assistance. According to the family, Anshul is now stabilised and recovering. UP recorded a pass percentage of 89.55 and 82.60 in the recently released Class 10 and Intermediate results respectively.
Campaigning on eight LS seats for second phase in UP ends today
Lucknow: Campaigning for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections in eight seats of western will conclude on Wednesday evening. The eight seats where polls will be held in the second phase are Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Mathura. Polling for the second phase will be held on April 26. 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 .
Arun Govil Unplugged: On Jai Shri Ram, Minorities And 'Karmbhoomi' Meerut I #ElectionsWithTOI
Veteran actor Arun Govil, known for his portrayal of Lord Ram in the TV series Ramayan, elucidates his entry into politics. Arun Govil, who is fielded by BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls from Meerut seat, says he has no interest in politics but will treat it as his karmabhoomi.
Would Like To Do A Lot Of Developmental Work For Meerut: BJP's Arun Govil
Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Arun Govil, BJP's Meerut candidate, has said that he would like to do a lot of developmental work for the city of Meerut.
Would like to do a lot of developmental work for Meerut, says BJP's Arun Govil
Would like to do a lot of developmental work for Meerut, says BJP's Arun Govil Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Arun Govil, BJP's Meerut candidate, has said that he would like to do a lot of developmental work for the city of Meerut and would focus on the traffic issue to improve the connectivity of the city. Wednesday is the last day of campaigning in Meerut which will go to the polls on April 26 in Phase 2. Speaking to ANI, Arun Govil said that there is no limit to development and would like to work to improve certain things in the city. There is no limit to development, any amount of development can be done. But there are some two-three big things... There is no airport here and it should have been constructed. There is no sports stadium. The inner ring road is not completed. Some 4.7 kilometres are still left. If that is completed, there will be a lot of impact on connectivity. And I would like to do something on the issue of traffic in the city. That should get alright. Talking about the roadshow that was held a day before, the Ramayana actor said that he is receiving immense respect and love from the people. ... The response on yesterday's roadshow was quite good. People are very positive towards me and they are already positive towards elections. Be it women, or men, everyone is filled with enthusiasm. I am receiving a lot of respect and love from people. And I think everything is fine. Everything is absolutely perfect, he said. On Tuesday, Arun Govil and his 'Ramayana' co-star Dipika Chiklia Topiwala (who played the role of Sita) held a massive roadshow in Meerut as part of the BJP's ongoing election campaign for the Lok Sabha polls. Addressing the crowd, the 'Ramayana' actress urged the people to vote for Arun Govil. Lord Ram has come to serve the country and we are supporting him. I urge the people to vote for Arun Govil. Vote for Arun Govil and make him win by majority. He will surely win but make him win by majority, Topiwala had said. On Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also held a roadshow in favour of BJP candidate Arun Govil. He appealed to the people of Meerut to send Govil, who immortalised the character of Lore Ram through mega TV serial 'Ramayana' to Parliament. Meerut, which is one of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, is set to go on polls in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26. (ANI)
Would like to do a lot of developmental work for Meerut, says BJPs Arun Govil
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Mayawati pitches for statehood to west UP and HC bench in Meerut
NEW DELHI: Reiterating her promise to carve out a separate state comprising districts of western Uttar Pradesh, BSP chief Mayawati said that she would make all out efforts to get a bench of Allahabad High Court established in Meerut if voted to power. The central government has not been paying attention to it, but when we come to power at the Centre, we will take positive steps, Mayawati said. Addressing an election rally in support of her party nominee Devvrat Tyagi from Meerut, the BSP chief attacked both the Congress and BJP and targeted the Samajwadi Party (SP) on the issue of reservation, alleging the SP did not want people belonging to SC/ST communities to get quota benefits. Referring to a resolution for a separate state passed during her regime in UP, the BSP chief claimed that her party had been of the view that the western region should be made a separate state for better development. We had a resolution passed by the state assembly and sent to the central government, but they did not act on it, she said. Mayawati alleged that the quota facility meant for the Dalits, Adivasis (STs), and OBCs in government jobs had not been filled in the country for years, and the quota in promotions for the SCs/STs was also made ineffective. I want to remind the members of the SCs/STs that when the SP was in power in Uttar Pradesh, it ended reservation in promotions. Will the members of these sections give even a single vote to them and waste it on a party bent upon finishing their reservation? The SP does not want SC/ST people to get full benefits of reservation, she said. She also warned against the saam, daam, dand, bhed policies allegedly being adopted by these parties to attain power. Seeking votes for her party nominee from Meerut, Mayawati said that unlike the past elections, when her party fielded Muslim candidates, it has this time given a ticket to Devvrat Tyagi.
Reel Rams Real Rally: Mythology & politics intertwine
From the quaint lanes of Mairashtra, once known as Meerut, to the bustling thoroughfares of today's cityscape, Arun Govil, forever etched in memory as 'Lord Ram' from the iconic '80s TV adaptation of Ramayan, gracefully exits a luxurious vehicle and onto a adorned truck. Occasionally traversing through the crowded streets, he makes his way to connect with people right at their doorsteps.
CM Yogi holds roadshow in Meerut, gets overwhelming response from people
CM Yogi holds roadshow in Meerut, gets overwhelming response from people Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday held a roadshow in favour of BJP candidate Arun Govil, evoking an overwhelming response. He appealed to the people of Meerut to send Govil, who immortalised the character of Lord Ram through mega TV serial 'Ramayana' to Parliament. In response, the voters of Meerut chanted 'Jai Shri Ram'. The roadshow on Hanuman Jayanti also set a new record. Throughout the roadshow, people kept chanting Jai Shri Ram and Ram Ji Ki Sena Chali. The slogans of Modi-Yogi Zindabad and Bharat Mata Ki Jai also resonated the streets of Meerut. Women, elders, men, youth, and children were eager to catch a glimpse of CM Yogi. People eagerly captured every moment of Yogi's roadshow on their mobile phones. In addition, saffron and BJP flags were visible everywhere here. Children dressed in saffron clothes greeted CM Yogi to show their support. The streets of Meerut were completely packed. Members of both the majority and minority communities enthusiastically welcomed the Chief Minister. During the roadshow, BJP candidate Arun Govil from Meerut, Rajya Sabha MP Lakshmikant Bajpai, Member of Parliament Rajendra Agrawal from Meerut, and BJP's regional president Satyendra Sisodia were present Meerut, which is one of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, is set to go on polls in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26. The Meerut Lok Sabha seat is likely to see a triangular contest among the BJP, the opposition INDIA bloc, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The BJP is relying on Arun Govil's popularity as the actor who portrayed Ram in the immensely popular Ramayana series, as well as his status as a local resident, for their campaign strategy. (ANI)
Will Make West UP A Separate State If Voted To Power - BSP's Mayawati
BSP Chief Mayawati today revived the demand for separate statehood for western UP. Addressing an election rally in Meerut in western UP, she assured the public that if BSP wins the ongoing Lok Sabha elections then it will work for making West UP a separate state and establishing High Court bench in Meerut. Mayawati did her first election rally in Meerut today in support of the party candidates. Addressing the rally at the Hapur Road, she took potshots at both Congress and BJP led alliances accusing them of meting out injustice to the people belonging to poorer and backward sections of the society. She alleged that BJP government while providing free rations to the poor people is depriving them of their right to work.
Mayawati promises to work for separate state comprising districts of western UP
Addressing an election rally in support of her party nominee from the Meerut Lok Sabha seat, the BSP chief attacked the Congress and BJP and also targeted the Samajwadi Party (SP) on the issue of reservation, alleging the SP does not want the people belonging to SC/ST communities to get quota benefits.
Lot of work has to be done in next five years...: BJP candidate Hema Malini
Lot of work has to be done in next five years...: BJP candidate Hema Malini Bhartiya Janta Party Lok Sabha Candidate and two-term Member of Parliament from Mathura, Hema Malini, said on Tuesday that many developmental works have been completed and a lot of work has to be done in the next five years in Mathura with the support of the party. Hema Malini told ANI, I feel proud that I have done a lot of work and I have to do a lot of work in the next five years with the support of Prime Minister Modi Ji, Amit Shah Ji, Nadda ji and Yogi Ji. A lot of good development work has been done here, including the 84 Kos Parikrama, the purification of Yamuna, centres for girls education, and theatres as centres for cultural activities. Along with the darshan of the temple, you will get to see various cultural activities here. Responding to the question of how many seats the BJP will win this time, Hema Malini said that they will win 80 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. Our party is saying that we will win from Mathura by a margin of more than 5 lakh votes. We will win by more votes than before. I appeal to all the people to vote when voting takes place on April 26th. Everyone should participate in it. I also appeal to the people of India that everyone should go and vote; each of your votes is very important, she said. Further, speaking on the Srikrishna Janambhoomi dispute, the BJP candidate from Mathura said that the issue is in the court and the court will decide but we are planning to make corridor for Banke Bihari Ji very beautiful, which is very congested and very soon work will start. Challenge is a challenge. You should not take it lightly. So, we will work hard, we have the capability to win. We have our work to show. Who will vote for someone who has not done anything? What has the INDIA bloc done till date? We will definitely cross 400, she added. The seats which will go to polls in the second phase on April 26 included-- Amroha, Meerut, Mathura, Baghpat, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar and Bulandshahar. (ANI)
The Gautam Buddha Nagar constituency will go to polls in the second phase on April 26 along with Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Aligarh, Mathura and Bulandshahr seats in Uttar Pradesh.
Wallets, Mobiles Stolen During BJP Candidate's Ramayan Roadshow
A Meerut businessman raised both his hands and chanted the Jai Shri Ram slogan as a BJP roadshow featuring Ramayan stars crossed his shop. The downside: he lost Rs 36,000 as someone from the crowd picked his pocket.
People see positive factor in me due to their devotion for Lord Ram: BJP's Meerut nominee Arun Govil
BJP's Arun Govil, known for 'Ramayan', leverages his connection with Meerut's devotion to Lord Ram and PM Modi's popularity for victory. He plans to tackle traffic issues, construct a sports stadium, and airport after winning.
BJP only party that talks about nationalism: Arun Govil
MEERUT: Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Uttar Pradeshs Meerut seat, Arun Govil, said on Monday that the special thing about PM Modi is that he has fulfilled what he promised. Govil told ANI that BJP is the only party in the country that talks about nationalism. BJPs track record is so good. It is the []
Student outreach initiative drives school students onto Namo Bharat trains, says NCR transport body
Student outreach initiative drives school students onto Namo Bharat trains, says NCR transport body The National Capital Region Transport Corporation's (NCRTC) student outreach programme drives school students onto Namo Bharat trains in order to enhance their awareness about the regional rapid transit system (RRTS), a statement said on Sunday. As part of this initiative, school students were invited to participate in rides aboard the state-of-the-art Namo Bharat trains. This immersive experience not only acquainted the students with the cutting-edge technology and comfort of the Namo Bharat, but also underscored the importance of sustainable and efficient transportation solutions for the National Capital Region (NCR), it said. This initiative has been a resounding success, with students from across the NCR actively participating in various educational activities aimed at familiarising them with the RRTS corridor. The outreach programme encompasses school visits, knowledge sessions, painting competitions, nukkad nataks (street plays), and most notably, exhilarating train rides on the Namo Bharat, the statement stated. Recognising the pivotal role children play as ambassadors for societal initiatives, the NCRTC has made concerted efforts to engage with these school children to make the awareness program engaging and interactive. It includes a painting competition with a specific theme related to the project, it said. They have been shown interactive videos to enhance their understandings. The children were encouraged to actively participate by sharing their understanding of the project. The session concluded with a street play that delivered key messages related to the project, it stated. These outreach programmes served as platforms for the students to not only learn about the RRTS project but also expressed their creativity and understanding through various mediums. By fostering an environment of curiosity and participation, NCRTC aimed to instil a sense of ownership and enthusiasm among the younger generation towards embracing the Namo Bharat trains as a preferred mode of transport in the future, the statement said. Presently, a 34-km section between Sahibabad and Modi Nagar North of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, which includes eight stations, is operational for passengers. The construction is advancing swiftly on the remaining stretches and the entire 82-km corridor is anticipated to be operational by 2025, it added.
Patanjali Yogpeeth to Pay Service Tax for Yoga Camps, Supreme Court Upholds CESTAT Decision
New Delhi: Yoga guru Swami Ramdev has faced another setback from the Supreme Court as his yoga camps are now subjected to service tax. The Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Abhay M Oak and Justice Ujjwal Bhuiyan has upheld the decision of the Service Tax Appellate Tribunal in this matter. According to the tribunal's decision, 'Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust', the organization organizing yoga camps of Swami Ramdev, will now have to pay service tax for both residential and non-residential yoga camps. Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust charges an entry fee for Swami Ramdev's yoga camps. The bench of Justice Oak and Justice Bhuiyan stated in their decision, 'The Service Tax Appellate Tribunal has made the correct decision. After charging the entry fee, yoga provided at the camps constitutes a service. We see no reason to interfere with the Tribunal's order. Therefore, Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust's appeal is dismissed.' Additionally, the court declined to interfere with the order dated October 5, 2023, of the Allahabad bench of the Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT). CESTAT had acknowledged that Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust charges fees from participants for the yoga camps. Therefore, the trust's yoga camps fall under the purview of service tax. The tribunal stated that the trust provides yoga training in various residential and non-residential camps and collects money from participants in the form of donations, which essentially function as entry fees for the provided services. The Commissioner of Customs and Central Excise, Meerut Range, had demanded that Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust pay approximately Rs 4.5 crore, including penalty and interest, for camps organized between October 2006 and March 2011. The trust argued that it provides services for the treatment of diseases, which should not be taxable under the 'Health and Fitness Services' category. However, the tribunal stated that the trust's claim of providing treatment for specific diseases lacked positive evidence. CESTAT stated, 'In these camps, yoga and meditation are taught to the entire group, not to any individual. No prescriptions are written to diagnose or treat any specific disease/complaint of an individual. The Trust collects the camp entry fee as a donation and issues entry tickets of different price ranges, providing different privileges depending on the value of the ticket. Yoga camps organized by Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust, which charge fees, fall under the category of health and fitness services and are liable to service tax.' Fatal Collision Claims Nine Lives in Rajasthan's Jhalawar District TISS Suspends PhD Student for Alleged Anti-National Activities Congress to Announce Candidates for Haryana Lok Sabha Elections; Deepender Hooda Likely from Rohtak
Female YouTuber Dies After Jumping from Second Floor of PG Accommodation in Delhi
A 29-year-old YouTuber named Swati died by suicide after jumping from the second floor of her paying guest (PG) accommodation in Mukherjee Nagar, northwest Delhi. Swati had been living in the area for the past 10 years. The police are investigating the incident, questioning witnesses and friends to determine the reasons behind her death. Swati hailed from Barla village in Alamgirpur, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. At the time of the incident, Swati's friend Priyam was with her in the PG room. The police are questioning Priyam and other acquaintances to gather more information. Initial investigations revealed that Swati had moved into the PG room four months ago. She informed the PG owner that she had finished her studies and was now a YouTuber. Police officials mentioned that the deceased's family did not suspect any foul play. Swati initially moved to Mukherjee Nagar to prepare for the UPSC exams but did not succeed. She also spent several years preparing for the SSC exams without success. Later, she turned to content creation on Instagram and YouTube, where she had around 28,000 followers on her Instagram account. PM Modi Commends Civil Services Achievers, Encourages Resilience in Unsuccessful Candidates 5 Weirdest Things in the World That Will Blow Your Mind From Fried Stones to Fish Eyes: Unveiling the 7 Weirdest Breakfasts Around the World
Yogi Adityanath takes jibe at Pakistan, cites new India
LUCKNOW: On a whirlwind tour of three western UP Lok Sabha constituenciesMeerut, Ghaziabad, and Bulandshahrset to vote in Phase II on April 26, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday drew a parallel between the economic situation of India and neighbouring Pakistan, which is grappling with a bankruptcy-like scenario. He stated that while India had provided free ration to 80 crore people for the past four years and would continue to do so for the next five years, in Pakistan, on the contrary, people were dying of hunger. Seeking support for Dr Mahesh Sharma, BJP candidate from Gautam Buddha Nagar Lok Sabha seat, Arun Govil from Meerut and Atul Garg from Ghaziabad, the CM made a high point of Surya Abhishek of Lord Ram idol on the first Ram Navami after his consecration in Ayodhya. Addressing the public rallies organised for Gautam Buddha Nagar Lok Sabha seat in Bulandshahr, he said: The BJP stands for faith, security, and prosperity. Under SP, BSP, and Congress rules, the state frequently saw curfews lasting for months. Now there are no curfews. These parties were known for inciting unrest through riots. They adopted a riot policy, while we prioritized a development policy. Highlighting the transformation in India, Yogi Adityanath said: We are now in a New India. Those who remember 2014 elections should make the new generation and first-time voters aware of the prevailing discontent and mistrust during that period. Terrorism, Naxalism, and separatism were on the rise across the nation. Corruption was rampant in all sectors. The youth were disheartened, and farmers were driven to suicide, he added. Addressing a public meeting in Kithore, Meerut, seeking votes for BJP candidate from the Meerut-Hapur Lok Sabha seat, Arun Govil, Adityanath said that when Govil played Lord Ram in the Ramayana serial, he didnt even know that one day, Lord Ram would celebrate his birthday in his abode. He added that Govils candidacy coincides with Lord Rams return to his birthplace. Leading the campaign in Pilkhua, Hapur, in support of Ghaziabad candidate Atul Garg, he reiterated the chant Phir ek bar Modi Sarkar, Abki bar 400 paar. He stated that the slogan was not merely echoing for no reason; it signified the transformation India had witnessed over the last decade. He appreciated skilled craftsmanship of Pilkhua artisans and their handloom expertise. He counted infrastructure developments in the area, includa 12-lane highway between Delhi and Meerut and rapid rail project and metro.
Muslim silence speaks amid poll noise in Uttar Pradesh
Men waving BJP flags in Meeruts Ghanta Ghar as UP readies for LS polls. Md Kamran notes the diminishing Muslim influence. Imran Masood, Iqra Hasan, and Mohibullah Nadvi are contesting, with Muslims urged to vote by Mufti Arshad Farooqui.
More rallies, roadshows planned for PM Modi in UP
Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold a campaign blitzkrieg comprising several rallies and roadshows in western Uttar Pradesh in the coming days. The Prime Minister has already addressed three rallies in Meerut, Saharanpur and Pilibhit. He is set to address at least four more rallies and a roadshow beginning April 19 from 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 .
Muslim silence speaks amid poll noise in UP
Men waving BJP flags in Meeruts Ghanta Ghar as UP readies for LS polls. Md Kamran notes the diminishing Muslim influence. Imran Masood, Iqra Hasan, and Mohibullah Nadvi are contesting, with Muslims urged to vote by Mufti Arshad Farooqui.
NDTV Election Carnival: NDA or INDIA in Patna? Whom Will The Voters Support?
Preparations are going on across the country for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. To know the mood of the country in the election season, NDTV Election Carnival is reaching many cities. After Delhi, Haridwar, Meerut, Bharatpur, Lucknow, Mainpuri Ayodhya and Varanasi, it has now entered Bihar.
Oppn leaders read 'fatiha' for dead criminals but don't condole death of Hindus: UP CM Adityanath
Oppn leaders read 'fatiha' for dead criminals but don't condole death of Hindus: UP CM Adityanath Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday claimed that opposition leaders read the 'fatiha' for dead criminals but don't condole the death of Hindus. Addressing a rally at Nahtaur in Bijnor, Yogi Adityanath said that after 500 years, it would be for the first time that Ramlalla will celebrate Ram Navami -- the birthday of Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram -- in his temple. Attacking the opposition parties, Adityanath said the Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party are immersed in quagmire and hate goodness. ''They glorify mafias and criminals and go to their homes and read the fatiha,'' Adityanath said, referring to prayers offered by Muslims for the dead. ''But if an innocent Hindu becomes a victim of an accident, not a single word of condolence comes out of their mouth,'' he said. The chief minister said, ''We greet Ram-Ram to the common citizens and Ram Naam Satya to the mafia-criminals.'' He said that India is the only country where 'Aaradhya' (God) had to give proof for his birthplace. ''This situation was caused by the Congress and Samajwadi Party. They tried to jeopardize our faith, but Sanatan Samaj did not agree, it was determined to build a grand temple on the birthplace of Lord Ram,'' Adityanath said. ''We achieved success because of Prime Minister Prime Minister Modi,'' he said, according to a release issued in Lucknow. The chief minister said our generations are blessed that we will witness the birth anniversary programme in the grand temple. He said the credit goes to people also as they formed the BJP government. Adityanath appealed all to vote for Nagina Lok Sabha candidate Om Kumar. ''One right vote cast changes the fate. One vote cast in the wrong place creates an identity crisis,'' he said. The chief minister also extended greetings on Ram Navami along with the Ashtami Tithi of Basantik Navratri. Addressing an election rally in Shamli, Adityanath said that those responsible for the forced migration of people from Kairana have faced consequences. ''No one will be forced to migrate from here anymore. We won't let anyone tamper with our identity,'' he said. ''A good government makes wise decisions. In contrast, the Congress has disrespected Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and the messiah of farmers, Chaudhary Charan Singh. The Samajwadi Party has gone even further, they go to read 'fatiha' on the deaths of mafias and criminals,'' Adityanath said. ''Show your disapproval through your vote, directing them to their rightful place,'' he added. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had visited the family of mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari at his home in Ghazipur, and said he hoped the truth of his death will come out and the family will get justice. Ansari, a five-time MLA from Mau, died due to cardiac arrest, on March 28. Yadav's visit and comments triggered a sharp attack by the BJP. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya then said that wherever the Samajwadi Party chief goes, the BJP or its allies will win elections. Stating there is a noticeable change in the country's atmosphere, Adityanath asserted, ''Lord Ram Lalla has been consecrated in his majestic temple, yet the Congress and SP seek evidence of his birth in Ayodhya. Our continuous chants of 'Ram-Ram' from dawn to dusk stand as our evidence.'' During the meeting, the chief minister appealed to people to vote for Pradeep Chaudhary, the joint Lok Sabha candidate of BJP, and Rashtriya Lok Dal from the Kairana Lok Sabha constituency. Adityanath also said that curfews will no longer be imposed in the state, and the Kanwar Yatras will be celebrated with great enthusiasm every year. ''Earlier, daughters in Shamli and Kairana were forced to go away from their parents to study, but today they top the Uttar Pradesh Board of Secondary Education and Central Board of Secondary Education from here,'' Adityanath said. He said the construction of malls, business complexes, wide roads, new buildings, and police stations at various locations, signify a new era of development in western Uttar Pradesh. Highlighting the infrastructure development, the chief minister said, ''Previously, the journey from Meerut to Delhi took four to five hours, but now it is completed in just 45 minutes. Rapid rail track construction is progressing rapidly in Meerut.'' ''We are also establishing the first sports university. Today, our daughters are winning Olympic medals and bringing glory to the nation. This is all due to the farsighted thinking of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as his welfare schemes are benefiting everyone without discrimination,'' he added. Adityanath said the country is progressing positively under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ''Earlier, there were curfews, and both daughters and businessmen felt unsafe. Now, the situation has completely reversed,'' he said. Adityanath also said, ''The farmers of western Uttar Pradesh, now confidently chant 'Ram-Ram' and even say 'Ram nam satya hai' to criminals because they are getting security and prosperity.'' ''So far, sugarcane farmers have received payments worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore for their produce. There are issues with two or three sugar mills in Shamli. We have informed them that if they fail to pay the sugarcane farmers in full, we will ensure that the farmers become the owners of those sugar mills,'' he added. Adityanath also held a roadshow in Saharanpur on Tuesday.
BJP Meerut Candidate Arun Govil`s Constitution Remarks Draw Sharp Reaction From Akhilesh Yadav
BJP leader Arun Govil has given a remark on 'Constitutions' which drew a strong reaction from Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.
Controversy erupts over Arun Govil's statement on Constitution: Here is what he said
Controversy has erupted over Arun Govil, BJP's candidate from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, after a viral video shows him discussing potential changes to the Constitution. Meanwhile, PM Modi rebukes Congress allegations of BJP tampering with the Constitution, asserting its sanctity. The exchange underscores ongoing debates over constitutional integrity amidst political rhetoric.
BJP promises three more bullet train corridors
NEW DELHI: The BJP manifesto released on Sunday promised three more bullet train corridors in the country apart from expanding coverage of new-age trains. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while releasing the BJPs Lok Sabha manifesto, said the work on the first corridor, which will connect Ahmedabad to Mumbai, is almost complete and the survey work for three more corridors will begin soon. We are constructing the first Bullet Train corridor in the country. Using the experience gained so far, we will initiate feasibility studies for Bullet Train Corridors in North, South, and East India, the BJPs manifesto states. The saffron party, seeking a third consecutive term for PM Modi, says that its government has developed and manufactured world-class Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat, and Namo Bharat trains. The BJP manifesto has accorded top priority to a slew of railway projects if it is voted to power for a third term at the Centre. Released as Modi Ki Guarantee, the manifesto pledged for constructing new tracks to expand capacity as well cargo transportation. It mentions that 31,000 km railway tracks were built in the last 10 years and now it would add 5000 km of new railway tracks every year for next five years after coming in the third term of power. In the backdrop of heavy waitlists in trains, the BJP has pledged to increase ticket availability significantly increasing passenger carrying capacity by 2030. The BJP also promised to carry on expansion of Kavach train protection system in a mission mode in next five years. The PM quoting from the manifesto said 1300 railway stations will be re-developed to world class standards in major and medium-sized cities. The manifesto promised to expand services of high frequency trains for regional connectivity and metro network in major urban centres ensuring last mile connectivity. We will launch Vande Sleeper trains for a comfortable overnight journey, Modi said, adding that his government will also launch Vande Bharat Metro. We have commissioned sections of RRTS between Delhi and Meerut. We will further expand these services and launch other regional connectivity programmes to other major cities to ensure robust connectivity and integrate the regional economies. It has been promised in the manifesto to launch a Super App to provide all train-related services to users. Vow to increase train ticket availability In the backdrop of heavy wait lists in trains, the BJP has pledged to increase ticket availability significantly increasing passenger carrying capacity by 2030. It promised to carry on expansion of Kavach train protection system in a mission mode in next five years. The PM quoting from the manifesto said 1300 railway stations will be re-developed to world class standards in major and medium-sized cities.
2 kids among 7 burnt alive as car rams into truck in Sikar
Seven, including 3 women & 2 children from UP's Meerut, died in car-truck collision on Churu-Salasar highway. Car on LPG cylinder caught fire, spreading flames to truck with cotton. Eyewitness saw victims shouting for help.
NDTV Election Carnival In Ayodhya: Ram, Ramrajya, Rajniti
NDTV Election Carnival, which started in Delhi, is now in Ayodhya after travelling through several cities in UP, including Meerut and Lucknow. This is the first Lok Sabha election after the consecration of the Ram Mandir and the political atmosphere has heated up in the city. Ayodhya is associated with faith, devotion, culture, and 'Ram Rajya'. BJP leader Awadhesh Pandey, Congress leader Sharad Shukla, and Samajwadi Party leader Dan Bahadur take part in NDTV's special programme in Ayodhya as poets Tarachand Tanha and Shailendra Pandey Masoom enthralled people with their poems and local artists Kirti Mishra and Ajneesh Gupta sang bhajans.
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Leopard Enters House In UP's Meerut, Caught After 8-Hour Operation
A forest department team tranquilised and caught a leopard from a house here on Saturday following an eight-hour operation, officials said.
Commotion Erupts as Eid Namazis Pray on Meerut Streets, Prompting Police Intervention
Lucknow: I n Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, worshippers gathered on the streets to observe Eid prayers, prompting the UP Police to take action by filing a case against 200 individuals, as confirmed by a senior police official. SSP Rohit Singh Sajwan stated that further steps will be taken once the identities of the accused are determined based on viral video evidence. The incident occurred on Eid day, with a large crowd assembling at the Eidgah in Meerut, leading some to sit on the road for prayers. Tensions escalated when worshippers clashed with the police after being prevented from praying on the road at Shahi Eidgah. The following day, a case was lodged against 100-200 unidentified persons, following a complaint by Police Sub Inspector Ramautar Singh of the Railway Road police station. The complaint cited disruptions to traffic caused by individuals praying on the road despite police instructions. Efforts were made to redirect worshippers to Faiz-e-Aam College, but confrontations broke out between the crowd and law enforcement. Individuals in the crowd chanted religious slogans, pushed past police barricades, and removed barriers. Several videos of the incident circulated on social media. The detainees were placed under custody at the Railway Road police station. SP Ayush Vikram Singh explained that measures were taken to manage the large crowd at the Idgah, redirecting them to Faiz-e-Aam College. He noted that while some individuals engaged in verbal altercations with the police, appropriate legal actions were taken at the Railway Road police station. Mumbai Police's Innovative Reunion: QR Code Helps Locate Missing Child CBI Accuses BRS Leader K Kavitha of Coercing Aurobindo Pharma Promoter in AAP Payment Scandal Rameshwaram Cafe Blasts mastermind hiding in Bengal with 'Sanjay Agarwal & Uday Das' names
Stir Erupts Over Insects Found in Noodles at Restaurant in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal: I n Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, a stir ensued when patrons discovered insects infesting the noodles served at a local restaurant in the Mandi area. The unsettling incident gained traction after a family dining at the establishment recorded a video showcasing the contaminated noodles, which quickly circulated on social media platforms. Responding promptly to the complaint and the viral video, authorities from the Food Department swiftly intervened to investigate the matter. Upon receiving the complaint, a team from the Food Department was dispatched to the restaurant to conduct an inspection and evaluate the situation in line with food safety regulations. The officials meticulously assessed the restaurant's cleanliness and food handling practices to ascertain any lapses that may have led to the contamination. Additionally, a sample of the tainted noodles was collected and sent to a laboratory in Bhopal for thorough testing to determine the nature and extent of the contamination. During the inspection, the Food Department officials expressed dissatisfaction with the restaurant's overall hygiene standards and operational protocols. Sarika Gupta, an officer representing the Food Department, acknowledged the complaint regarding the presence of insects in the noodles and affirmed that appropriate action would be taken against the restaurant operator if any violations of food safety regulations were uncovered as a result of the investigation. Commotion Erupts as Eid Namazis Pray on Meerut Streets, Prompting Police Intervention Mumbai Police's Innovative Reunion: QR Code Helps Locate Missing Child CBI Accuses BRS Leader K Kavitha of Coercing Aurobindo Pharma Promoter in AAP Payment Scandal
Resignation of RJD President Vrushin Patel Amid Lok Sabha Elections
Patna: Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections of 2024, Lalu and Tejashwi Yadav have faced yet another setback as former minister and RJD president Vrushin Patel has tendered his resignation from his post. Patel sent his resignation letter to Bihar RJD President Jagdanand Singh, citing the lack of democracy within the party and expressing concerns about its shift away from communal harmony and social justice. Saddened by these developments, he has decided to part ways with the party. Patel, however, has not disclosed his future political plans. Reports suggest that Patel was vying for a ticket from the Vaishali Lok Sabha seat, which has been allocated to Bahubali Munna Shukla by RJD this time. Displeased with this decision, Patel has chosen to bid farewell to RJD. There are speculations circulating about his potential alliance with JDU. Prior to his association with RJD, Patel had been associated with Janata Dal, JDU, and Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustan Awam Morcha. He has also served as a minister in the Nitish Kumar-led government. Vrushin Patel held a significant position within RJD as one of its senior leaders. He joined the party before the 2020 assembly elections, and Lalu Yadav appointed him as the vice president of the party. Following the announcement of RJD tickets, there has been a trend of leaders departing from the party. Recently, Ashfaq Karim, who was aspiring for a Lok Sabha ticket from Katihar, also resigned from RJD as the seat was allocated to Congress this time. There are widespread speculations regarding Karim's potential switch to JDU. Commotion Erupts as Eid Namazis Pray on Meerut Streets, Prompting Police Intervention Mumbai Police's Innovative Reunion: QR Code Helps Locate Missing Child CBI Accuses BRS Leader K Kavitha of Coercing Aurobindo Pharma Promoter in AAP Payment Scandal
Viral Video Emerges: Brutal Assault Near Amity University Gate in Noida Sparks Outrage
Noida: T he streets of Noida, Uttar Pradesh, witnessed another incident of violence as a viral video surfaced on social media. In the video, a group of youths is seen pulling a student out of a Fortuner car near Amity University Gate No. 5 in the Police Station Sector 126 area and assaulting him. The disturbing footage shows the young man being dragged from the car and subjected to kicks and punches before the assailants flee the scene. A girl can be seen inside the car during the altercation, and she later helps the victim to his feet after the attackers leave. Amity University, Noida, a group of rowdy youths pulled a student out of a car and beat him. Gundo ke chale jaane ke baad car se mahila utri aur unhone pehle jooto ki jaan bachayi aur baad me yuvak ki. pic.twitter.com/uP8x078Fry THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) April 13, 2024 The incident gained attention after the video circulated widely on social media platforms. Police authorities became aware of the situation through these online channels and have since identified the vehicle involved by tracing its number. Efforts are underway to contact the victim, although it remains unclear when the incident occurred. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the dispute and to locate and apprehend the perpetrators. Law enforcement officials have formed a dedicated team to identify and apprehend the individuals responsible for the assault. Once the victim is identified, further details about the incident are expected to emerge, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding the violence. Authorities are committed to resolving the matter swiftly and bringing those responsible to justice. Commotion Erupts as Eid Namazis Pray on Meerut Streets, Prompting Police Intervention Mumbai Police's Innovative Reunion: QR Code Helps Locate Missing Child CBI Accuses BRS Leader K Kavitha of Coercing Aurobindo Pharma Promoter in AAP Payment Scandal
