A satirical play depicting the extravagant lifestyle of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati has been banned by her government.
That politics is serious business is not new, but what is is the professionalism that has come to define every aspect of electioneering. And in keeping with the times are the 'songs of politics'.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's efforts to court the All India Muslim Personal Law Board notwithstanding, the top Muslim body has unveiled a Dastoor Bachao Tehrik, a campaign to target UPA policies right in the heat of UP polls. Zia Haq reports.
A Public Interest Litigation was today filed in the Allahabad high court seeking directions for covering of statues of former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi across Uttar Pradesh till assembly elections were over in the state.
Every election, when Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi campaign across UP, the onus of holding the Rae Bareli and Amethi forts is on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Sunita Aron reports.
The Maya challenge
Rahul, Akhilesh and Jayant have a common aim to resurrect their parties' fortune and, in turn, their own.
Pankaj Jaiswal reports.
Youth inc.
An early morning call jolted a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate from Maharajganj out of his slumber. As he sleepily answered the 5am call, the voice on the other side sternly asked: “Kya kar raha hai? Is samay to tujhe maidan mein hona chahiye (What are you doing? You should have been in the field at this hour).”
...Maya has a strategy in place for every worker, though her tour of UP will begin only in Feb.
Sunita Aron reports.
Poll triviaAs instructed by her, the BSP on Sunday celebrated party chief Mayawati’s birthday in a modest way so that the model code of electoral conduct laid down by the Election Commission was undisturbed.
The Election Commission and the political parties, which are hoping for a higher voters' turnout in the assembly elections, should pray that it rains in Perth on February 8 and in Brisbane on February 19, as crazy cricket fans won't find it easy to skip the on-field live action for voting.
After many a holdup, Uttar Pradesh CM Mayawati's dream project, the eight-lane 1,047 km Ganga Expressway, has run into rough weather following the project developer (Jaypee Associates) withdrawing the R894.75 crore guarantee money.
The political row over sub-quota for backward Muslims escalated today with BJP targeting the Congress saying it was trying to divide the country and bring a "second partition", a comment dismissed as "highly deplorable".
The Congress has tallied its immediate political ambitions in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh with a vision statement for changing the face of the state - the stated mission of party general secretary Rahul Gandhi.
The Election Commission, which has announced to keep an eye on the poll expenses of every candidate, will also keep record of the marriages and parties being thrown or attended by the political leaders.
The upcoming assembly election in Uttar Pradesh has propelled the sale of "sturdy" sports utility vehicles (SUVs), considered comfortable and safe on the campaign trail in the rural hinterland.