Campaigning ends for assembly polls in U'Khand, Goa & for 2nd phase in UP

Campaigning ends for single phase Assembly polls in Uttarakhand, Goa and for second phase in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday evening. In Uttarakhand, high voltage political campaigning came to a close on the last day of political campaigning. The state had seen a bevy of prominent political leaders and star campaigners from major political parties campaign for their respective parties across the state. Prominent national leaders who campaigned in the state  included BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who held a public Rally in Rudrapur, BJP leader and Union Minister Rajnath Singh who campaigned in Ramnagar, Salt, and Kapkot in the Kumaon region, BJP leader and Union Minister Amit Shah campaigned in Dhanaulti, Sahaspur and Raipur in Dehradun district, and BJP leader and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who campaigned in Tehri and Kotdwar. Congress’ Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra held public events in Khatima, Haldwani, and Srinagar,  Deepender Singh Hooda campaigned in  Haridwar and Dehradun, and Sachin Pilot campaigned for the party candidate in Salt.  AAP’s Manish Sisodia held a press campaign in Dehradun and took part in a roadshow in Sahaspur.

-The Tamil Nadu Government has decided to reopen nursery and play schools from February16. The Government has also allowed trade fairs and increased the number of people attending weddings from 100 to 200 and funerals from 50 to 100. In a press release, the State Government said that Covid protocols have to be followed in all events. The regulations have been extended till March 2. The decision was taken at the meeting led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to assess the Covid situation.  Moreover in Uttar Pradesh the state government has decided to re-open all schools from Monday onwards in view of the declining trend in covid-19 cases,. Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Awanish Awasthi said, necessary order in this regard with the instructions in detail will be issued soon. Earlier, schools from classes 9th to 12th and degree colleges in Uttar Pradesh were allowed by the state government to hold offline classes from the 7th of this month. 

-In West Bengal, except for a few sporadic incidents, voting in the four municipal corporations elections ended peacefully on Saturday, said State Election Commissioner Saurav Das. Till 5PM, percentage of average vote casts in Siliguri, Chandannagar, Bidhannagar and Asansol municipal corporations together stands at 72. Latest break up: Siliguri 71.87, Chandannagar 71.49, Bidhannagar 72.02, Asansol 71.67. The State Election Commission said, polls were peaceful throughout the day. Quick action has also been taken in the case of one or two sporadic disturbances. The Commission is also looking into the allegations of firing at Jamuria in Asansol. A policeman is injured in a stampede at a polling station in Asansol. According to the State Election Commission, a report has been called for the incident. EVMs got damaged in two polling stations in Asansol.

-In Manipur, 173 candidates including fifteen women and 18 Independent candidates are in the fray for the first phase polls to be held on February, 28. Thirty eight assembly constituencies of five electoral districts of Manipur-Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Kangpokpi and Churachandpur have witnessed a hectic political campaign for the first phase polls. The newly formed Pherzawl district which has two assembly constituencies is combined with electoral district-Churachandpur in the upcoming first phase polls. In the first phase polls, a total of twelve lakh fifteen thousand eight hundred fourteen voters will decide the fate of 173 candidates. Among the notable candidates who are in fray in the first phase polls are Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, Deputy CM Y. Joykumar, President of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee N. Loken, Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly Y. Khemchand. The voting will be conducted at One thousand seven hundred eighteen polling stations.

-In Jharkhand, another CoBRA jawan suffered serious injuries in an IED blast o Saturday at Lohardaga district and has been airlifted to Ranchi. The injured jawan Tomil Kumar is from Chhattisgarh and is being treated at Medica hospital in Ranchi. The IED blast occurred in extremist-hit Bulbul-Peshrar area of Lohardaga district after a joint search operation by CRPF, CoBRA battalion and Jharkhand Police against Maoists is underway since Friday. Two CoBRA jawans Dileep Kumar and Narayan Das were injured in an IED blast in Bulbul-Peshrar area during the search operation yesterday and were airlifted for treatment at Medica Hospital in Ranchi.