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This story is from January 27, 2022

Election round-up: Congress to declare CM face in Punjab, says Rahul; in west UP Amit Shah continues outreach

Election round-up: Congress to declare CM face in Punjab, says Rahul; in west UP Amit Shah continues outreach
Rahul Gandhi with Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi and Navjot Sidhu. (PTI photo.)
NEW DELHI: The Congress will declare a chief ministerial face after consulting its workers, party leader Rahul Gandhi said during his visit to Punjab.
Chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, both of whom are front-runners, will support the chosen name, he added.
Meanwhile, Union home minister Amit Shah, considered to be the architect of BJP's past success in Uttar Pradesh, continued his outreach in the politically crucial western part of the state.

Here is a quick look at the key political developments on Thursday:
Punjab
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the party will go into the Punjab polls with a CM face and the decision will be taken after consulting party workers. Addressing a virtual rally, Gandhi said chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu assured him that whoever is chosen as the CM face, the other will support him.
"Normally, we don't do this but if the Congress party, our workers and Punjab want this, we will take a decision on the CM face," he said.

"We will take this decision after consulting our workers. Others will work as a team," he said. The demand for declaring chief ministerial face will be met as soon as possible, Gandhi added.
Earlier in his address, Sidhu said people want clarity who will implement the agenda and roadmap, to which Channi later said he was never after any post and anyone whose name is announced, he will wholeheartedly back the decision.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court asked the Punjab government not to take any coercive step against SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia till January 31 when it hears his pre-arrest bail plea in a drugs case.
A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli took note of the submissions of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Majithia, that the plea seeking anticipatory bail plea needed urgent hearing as the accused has been facing "political vendetta".
Uttar Pradesh
The upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh are not to decide an MLA, a minister or a chief minister, the elections are to decide the future course of the state for the next 20 years, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday. Addressing a 'Prabhaavi Matdaata Samwad' (Effective Voter Dialogue) in Greater Noida, the senior BJP leader lashed out at the previous state governments helmed by the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samajwadi Party over a host of issues, including law and order.
Shah said the state had witnessed mafia rule and open extortion during the previous governments but stressed that the situation has changed over the last five years under the Yogi Adityanath government.
"The upcoming polls are not to decide an MLA, or a minister or a chief minister. The elections are to decide the future course for the next 20 years of Uttar Pradesh," he told a gathering that involved Gautam Buddh Nagar voters, including local farmers, traders, professionals and teachers. Shah has also reached out to Jats in western Uttar Pradesh.
Uttarakhand
Former Uttarakhand Congress president Kishore Upadhyay has been expelled from the party for six years for anti-party activities amid speculation that he might join the BJP. Upadhyay was earlier removed from all party positions as a disciplinary action after he met BJP leaders here, including the party's election in-charge for Uttarakhand Pralhad Joshi. Speculation is rife that Upadhyay may join the BJP on Thursday and the saffron party is preparing to field him from the Tehri Assembly seat which he had won in 2002 and 2007. Assembly polls in Uttarakhand will be held on February 14.
Goa
Trinamool Congress (TMC) vice president Pavan Varma said his party stands for "real Hinduism", while the BJP uses Hindus as "puppets to get short-term political gains". Talking to reporters, he said using religion to divide people was an "insult of Goa, Goans and 'Goenkarponn' (Goanness)".
"I want to tell you the brief point that TMC stands for what is real Hinduism, which is inclusive, tolerant, plural, accommodating and open to diversity. Unfortunately, BJP's form of Hinduism is a distorted one and it attempts to use religion for hatred, bigotry, exclusion, division and violence," he alleged.
Manipur
The BJP has signed an "agreement of cooperation" with several party members who might be fielded in the upcoming Manipur assembly elections, in a bid to prevent switching of allegiance before the polls. The members include those who could be nominated in Keisamthong assembly constituency in Imphal West district and Sugnu in Kakching district, sources said.
"The party has signed an agreement of cooperation with many probable candidates in the presence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, so that they don't switch sides amid the developing political scenario" BJP's chief spokesperson in the state, Ch Bijoy, told PTI.
The saffron party has been conducting "sensitisation" meetings to ensure bonhomie and cooperation among members, who are likely to be fielded in the polls.
The five states go to polls February onwards.
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