Assembly election 2022 results LIVE Updates: BJP owes poll victory to EVMs, Akhilesh Yadav says

Since 2002, Congress has contested all assembly and Lok Sabha elections under the leadership of Harish Rawat. However, the party has been on a decline since 2014 when Rawat became CM. In the last eight years, Rawat himself has lost Lok Sabha (2014 and 2019) and assembly polls (2017 and 2022) and the leaders of his camp have also not performed well. On the other hand, Pritam Singh, considered Rawat's bete noire within the party, has never lost an election from his constituency, Chakrata, since the creation of the state.

AAP leader Bhagwant Mann took oath as member of the legislative assembly (MLA) in Punjab assembly, a day after he was sworn-in as the chief minister of the state at a mammoth ceremony. After being sworn in, Mann raised the slogan 'Inquilab zindabad'.

(Courtesy: ANI)

Claiming a moral victory in the recently concluded assembly elections, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) owes its victory to the EVMs. He said the people of Uttar Pradesh have voted to approve of Samajwadi Party as the alternative of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

After a gap of two years, CM Yogi Adityanath, this year, will lead both the Holi processions in Gorakhpur — the Holikadahan procession on Thursday evening and Bhagwan Narsingh Holikotsav shobha yatra on Saturday morning. For past two years, Yogi could not participate in both the events due to Covid pandemic. After Covid was controlled following efforts of the Central and state governments, Yogi agreed to participate in both the processions this year.

Bhagwant Mann, who took oath as Punjab chief minister at a mammoth ceremony on Wednesday, cautioned his party politicians and workers in a short speech against displaying arrogance or ego. He said all of them should remain humble and modest as their party’s government belonged to all. Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mann, who spoke Punjabi throughout. The ceremony, held just behind the Bhagat Singh Memoria. After being sworn in, Mann raised the slogan “Inquilab Zindabad”.

Expressing concern over the “demoralising” election debacle and continuing defections from Congress, dissident bloc G-23 on Wednesday said “collective and inclusive decision-making” is the only solution to the crisis gripping the party. Crucially, the head of the ginger group, Ghulam Nabi Azad, is likely to meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi soon, even as early as Thursday, to discuss the issues raised by the letter-writers. It is learnt that Sonia reached out to Azad on Wednesday morning. The G-23 leaders held a dinner meeting at the residence of Azad.