Firozabad, Dec 29 (ANI): Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra interacts with women at the 'Shakti Samvaad', in Firozabad on Wednesday. (ANI Photo)
Firozabad (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 29 (ANI): As Congress continues its women outreach program in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Assembly polls, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said that politics is done in name of religion but no work is done for women.
Addressing a public event, “Shakti Samwad” in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad, Priyanka Gandhi said, “Today I want women to know what kind of politics is happening these days. Politics is done in the name of religion, caste but no work is done for women. You (women) all have the power to change this type of politics.”
The Congress leader also interacted with bangle makers in Firozabad and several other women involved in the bangle industry of Firozabad. Congress has already announced that 40 percent of tickets will be given to women in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
Congress is focusing on 100 seats out of the total 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. According to sources, a target has been set to contact every woman 10 times in these seats.
In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 percent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats. (ANI)
Winnability will be most important factor during ticket distribution for Punjab polls, says Congress leader Sunil Jakhar
New Delhi [India], December 29 (ANI): Sunil Jakhar, Chairman of the campaign committee of Punjab Congress on Wednesday said that the winnability of a candidate will be the biggest factor in the ticket distribution for the Assembly polls in the state.
The former Punjab Congress president also said that other important factors will be to make sure that only one person from one family gets the ticket to contest elections.
He was talking to the media after the end of the meeting of the Punjab Congress Screening Committee in the national capital. “The biggest basis for distribution of tickets is the winnability of a candidate. Another important factor will be that only one person from one family gets a ticket to contest the election,” said Jakhar.
The winning MLAs will also be encouraged to contest elections again from their respective constituencies, he added.
Jakhar said that discussions on seats were taken during the meeting of the screening committee. “The final decision will be taken by the CEC headed by Sonia Gandhi,” he added.
Taking a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is considering virtual rallies in view of COVID-19 and its Omicron variant, Jakhar asked why the ruling party at the Centre did not consider the same during West Bengal polls earlier this year and in Uttar Pradesh for upcoming elections next year. “They are running away from facing the people. They do not even have excuses now. Earlier, there were farmers and their protests. Now even they have gone. Why are they running away now?” he questioned.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is ready for virtual election rallies and the party will follow the Election Commission’s guidelines issued regarding polls in the wake of the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Talking about the applications to contest elections from various seats, the leader said that wherever the party has a sitting MLA, no applications have been filed from that constituency by anyone other than the sitting MLA. “On the other side, the seats where we do not have our MLAs, an average of 20-30 people have applied to contest,” he added.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Ajay Maken took a swipe at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that the party does not exist in Punjab. “BJP does not exist in Punjab,” he said. Punjab assembly polls are slated for early next year. (ANI)
Congress may not apply ‘one family, one ticket’ formula in Uttarakhand
New Delhi [India], December 29 (ANI): Even as the Punjab Congress screening committee has decided to follow the ‘one family, one ticket’ formula for assembly polls in the state, the party leaders in Uttarakhand may not be keen on such a formula for the state. Many senior Congress leaders in Uttrakhand are demanding party tickets for their family members also.
According to Congress sources, former state Chief Minister Harish Rawat is demanding party tickets for his son and daughter while Pritam Singh, who is the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, is seeking a ticket for his son.
Congress held a meeting of the Uttarkhand screening committee in Delhi to discuss candidates for assembly polls.
Speaking to ANI, Uttrakhand Congress state chief Ganesh Godiyal said no discussion has been done on the issue of tickets of family members of party leaders. “It is my belief that if two persons from a family are in public life if they are popular then it can be decided. Every state has its own criteria and party will discuss and a common decision will be followed,” he said.
Avinash Pandey heads the AICC screening committee for Uttarakhand which also includes Devendra Yadav, Ganesh Godiyal, Harish Rawat, Rajesh Dharmani, and Pritam Singh. Harish Chaudhary, who is AICC in charge of Punjab, had said that the screening committee has decided that tickets will be given to only one member from a family in the state. (ANI)
