Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath slammed the opposition Samajwadi Party over the 2013 Kumbh Mela arrangements, accusing the then chief minister Akhilesh Yadav of appointing a "non-Sanatani " as the in-charge of the religious congregation in Prayagraj. Adityanath highlighted the presence of dignitaries, including the President, Prime Minister, and heads of state from 74 countries, at the recent Maha Kumbh, contrasting it with the "chaos, corruption, and pollution " of the 2013 event. He also criticized the opposition's criticisms of the Maha Kumbh arrangements, arguing that everyone found something in accordance with their nature and character. Adityanath refuted allegations of discrimination against any community at the Maha Kumbh, emphasizing the unity and inclusivity of the event.
The Rampur assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh which fell vacant following the disqualification of SP leader Mohammad Azam Khan is one of the five seats going for the bypolls.
Top Samajwadi Party leaders Shivpal Singh Yadav and Mohammad Azam Khan are among those likely to take oath along with Akhilesh Yadav when he is sworn in as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh on March 15.
Saharanpur recorded a turnout of 71.13 per cent, Bijnor 65.91, Moradabad 67.26, Sambhal 62.87, Rampur 64.26, Amroha 71.98, Budaun 59.24, Bareilly 61.67 and Shahjahanpur 59.34 per cent, a statement issued by the election office said in Lucknow on Tuesday.
After Uttar Pradesh played host to world's largest religious congregation during Mahakumbh in Allahabad, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Minister Mohammad Azam Khan have been invited by the HarvardUniversity to share the story of organising the 55-day event.
The Uttar Pradesh government has started proceedings to withdraw four cases against senior cabinet minister Mohammad Azam Khan. "The cases against Khan in 2007 appeared to be lodged with bad intentions. We have given applications in concerned courts to withdraw the cases," said Principal Secretary, Home, R M Srivastava.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday rejected the resignation of Cabinet Minister Mohammad Azam Khan as the chief of Kumbh Mela Organising Committee.
"The death of two persons after falling in drain was run as breaking news by channels saying that deaths took place due to stampede in Kumbh. Due to this news, people started moving to the railway station following which pressure increased there," Khan told media persons on Monday night.
"We are in the process of purchasing sniper rifles, glock pistols, 12 bore pump action guns, MP-5 submachine guns. This will be made available to the force soon", Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohammad Azam Khan said while replying to a question raised by BJP member Shyamdeo Roy Chowdhury in the Vidhan Sabha.
In a jolt to Rashtriya Lok Dal, its Rajya Sabha member of Parliament Shahid Siddiqui and Anuradha Chowdhury, a former aide of party chief Ajit Singh, on Sunday joined the Samajwadi Party ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.
Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav is caught in an escalating spat between Delhi's Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari and Uttar Pradesh Minorities Minister Mohammad Azam Khan, both baying for each other.
Reacting to recent incidents of clashes in different parts of the state after the swearing in of Akhilesh, Khan termed it a "conspiracy" hatched by BSP workers to defame the government in the name of law and order.
A first information report was registered on Wednesday against Samajwadi Party leader Mohammad Azam Khan on the charge of sedition for his controversial comments on Kashmir following a court order.
Polling across 55 assembly constituencies assembly in nine districts got off to sluggish start at 7 am due to the cold and fog at several places.
As many as 586 candidates are in the fray in this phase with the seats spread across Saharanpur, Bijnor, Moradabad, Sambhal, Rampur, Amroha, Budaun, Bareilly and Shahjahanpur.
Senior Samajwadi Party leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mohammad Azam Khan, UP Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker and BJP leader Rajesh Agarwal and former state BSP President Indrajit Saroj are leading.
Khan, who is the state Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said that it was yet another move to fool Muslims ahead of assembly elections in the state.
Muslims, who constitute over 60 per cent of the total electorate of 2.53 lakh, hold the key in this constituency.
Kickstarting his party's 'Mission 2022' with a 'rath yatra,' Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying it has 'crushed farmers' and on return to power in Uttar Pradesh would 'crush the Constitution' as well.
Aditi Phadnis picks five key seats in the three states where assembly elections are being held today.
Campaigning came to an end on Saturday for the single-day election in Uttarakhand and Goa, two states known for political volatility where the Bharatiya Janata Party is attempting to retain power, and for the second phase of assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh on February 14.
Tea and snacks like samosa and gulab jamun offered to guests by ministers have cost the Uttar Pradesh state exchequer nearly Rs 9 crore during four years of Akhilesh Yadav government.
Amid controversy over the absence of Samajwadi Party's Muslim face Mohammad Azam Khan from its national executive meet, party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav sought to mollify him on Thursday, saying Khan can never be upset with him.
Hardening its stand against senior Uttar Pradesh Minister Mohammad Azam Khan who skipped the party national executive meeting, Samajwadi Party on Thursday said either he should have attended the meet or resigned.
Samajwadi Party's senior leader Mohammad Azam Khan was on Wednesday conspicuous by his absence at its National Executive meet in Agra.
Uttar Pradesh assembly session began on a stormy note on Wednesday as legislators raised anti-government slogans and two of them took off their shirts protesting over various issues.
Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday accused the writers, who returned their awards, of double standards saying they were selective in attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "growing intolerance" in the country and overlooked the Congress wrongdoings including Emergency in the past.
Outside Rampur, Azam Khan's name may be an alias for controversy. But Rampur's voters believe that all the improvements in their constituency has been accomplished only by the man they have elected 8 times to the state assembly.
As the dust finally settles on the outcome of the Lok Sabha elections 2019 and Bharatiya Janata Party along with its NDA allies emerges as the clear winner, here is a list of who won in each of the 7 phases of elections.
The BJP needs to revisit its strategy ahead of the forthcoming Haryana and Maharashtra assembly elections, says Dharmendra Kumar Singh
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