UP Assembly Election 2022 LIVE Updates: All eyes on Jat stronghold as Phase 1 voting begins; 623 candidates in fray

UP Assembly Polls 2022 Phase I Voting LIVE Updates

From Kairana to Mathura, key electoral battles in phase 1 polling 

As people queue up to exercise their electoral right and determine the future of 623 candidates, here's a look at some key battles in the first phase.

Noida

All eyes will be trained on Noida in the Gautam Buddha Nagar district. In 2017, the BJP’s Pankaj Singh, who is also Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s son, had won the Noida seat by a margin of over 1 lakh votes over his nearest rival.

Kairana

Kairana is one of the most talked-about electoral battles in the state. The BJP has picked Mriganka Singh, daughter of the late MP Hukum Singh, as its candidate from Kairana. From the SP, is Nahid Hasan, the sitting MLA.

Mathura

Mathura is also set for a high-pitched battle with sitting BJP MLA Shrikant Sharma, a minister in the Adityanath government, contesting to retain the seat he first won in 2017.

Sharma is up against BSP's SK Sharma, SP's Devendra Agrawal and Pradeep Mathur of the Congress.

Read more here...

UP Assembly Polls 2022 Phase I Voting LIVE Updates

PM Modi urges electors to vote in maximum numbers

As the phase 1 polling in Uttar Pradesh commenced on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all the voters in the state to participate in the "holy festival of democracy" by exercising their franchise.

"Today is the first phase of voting in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. I request all the voters to participate enthusiastically in this holy festival of democracy by following the rules of COVID-19. Remember - Vote first, then refreshments!" the prime minister tweeted.

उत्तर प्रदेश विधानसभा चुनाव में आज पहले चरण की वोटिंग है। सभी मतदाताओं से मेरा आग्रह है कि वे कोविड नियमों का पालन करते हुए लोकतंत्र के इस पावन पर्व में बढ़-चढ़कर हिस्सा लें। याद रखना है- पहले मतदान, फिर जलपान!

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 10, 2022

UP Assembly Polls 2022 Phase I Voting LIVE Updates

Uttar Pradesh election associated with development, women safety: BJP Mathura candidate

Shrikant Sharma, the BJP candidate from Mathura Assembly constituency, believes that the Assembly election this year will pave the way for further development in Uttar Pradesh. "These elections are no ordinary elections as they are associated with the development and safety of women in the state. In the last five years, we have laid the foundation of a prosperous UP."

UP Assembly Polls 2022 Phase I Voting LIVE Updates

'Your vote is basis of bright future': Amit Shah to UP voters

With the commencement of polling for the first phase of elections in Uttar Pradesh, Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday urged upon the people to cast their votes in maximum numbers to help elect a government which can provide security, well being and good governance along with development in the state.

"Today is the first phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh. I appeal to all the brothers and sisters of this phase of polling to vote in maximum numbers to elect a government that will give security, respect and good governance along with development in the state. Your one vote is the basis of the bright future of Uttar Pradesh," he tweeted.

आज उत्तर प्रदेश में प्रथम चरण का मतदान है। मैं इस चरण के सभी भाइयों-बहनों से अपील करता हूँ कि प्रदेश में विकास के साथ-साथ आपको सुरक्षा, सम्मान व सुशासन देने वाली सरकार को चुनने के लिए अधिक से अधिक संख्या में मतदान करें।

आपका एक वोट उत्तर प्रदेश के उज्ज्वल भविष्य का आधार है।

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 10, 2022

UP Assembly Election 2022 LIVE Updates

Over 2.28 crore voters to decide fate of 623 candidates in western UP

UP Assembly Election 2022 LIVE Updates

UP doesn't want appeasement politics, says BJP candidate from Sardhana 

BJP from Sardhana Assembly constituency, Sangeet Som, on Thursday said, "We are fighting on the agenda of development as we work with the mantra of 'Sabka saath, sabka vikas'. The people of the state don't want to see the politics of appeasement."

UP Assembly Election 2022 LIVE Updates

BJP fields 17 candidates from Jat community for phase 1, SP pitches 12

The ruling BJP party has fielded 17 candidates from the Jat community, while the RLD has fielded 12 Jat candidates, and the SP six. There is anger in the community over the now withdrawn farm laws; issues like the payment of sugarcane dues also have some traction.

UP Assembly Election 2022 LIVE Updates

Key constituencies in phase 1 voting today 

While the fate of several BJP heavyweights, including ministers, will be decided, the polls will also be a key test for the SP-RLD alliance and whether the parties manage to consolidate their traditional ‘vote banks’ in the areas.

The key constituencies to watch out for include - Kairana, Muzzafarnagar, Thana Bhawan, Sardhana, Atrauli, Noida, Baghpat and Mathura. 

Kairana has been at the centre of political squabble and has emerged as a critical point of focus in the UP polls. The BJP brought up the issue of ‘mass exodus’ from the region, against the Samajwadi Party.

UP Assembly Election 2022 LIVE Updates

Impact of farmers' protest may affect BJP's equation in Jat stronghold

Several X-factors are at play in the first phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. The most important being the anguish among farmers arising from the year-long agrarian protests. This may affect BJP's electoral equation in the region which had emerged as the party's citadel since 2014.

All eyes will be on the Jat stronghold as they have been wedded to the BJP since the 2013 Muzzaffarnagar riots. They have even defeated their tallest leader, Chaudhry Charan Singh, in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

UP Assembly Election 2022 LIVE Updates

PM Modi confident BJP to win with 'full majority' in all 5 states 

Ahead of the elections in five states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday exuded confidence about BJP's prospects in UP, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, saying the party will get "full majority" in all the contests.

"I have seen in all these states an inclination towards BJP," he said in an interview to ANI.

On whether a positive outcome would be seen as a referendum on his popularity, Modi said, "BJP believes in collective leadership. It will be a referendum on our performance, intent and conduct."