UP Polls: Congress in strong situation, confident of people voting for us, says Baghel

Senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel kickstarted door to door campaign in Uttar Pradesh's Noida on Sunday after the election commission extended the ban on public rallies up to January 22 due to rise in the COVID-19 cases.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed confidence in his party securing a win in the upcoming Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking to ANI, Baghel who is also an observer for the UP Assembly election said, "The situation of Congress is strong in Uttar Pradesh. Under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi, the organisation has become strong and has fought for the farmers, workers and women. There is great support on the ground for Congress. We are complying with the guidelines of the ECI. We are doing door to door campaign. We are adhering to the guidelines of the commission."

Talking about this party's chances in the Assembly polls scheduled to start from February 10, Baghel said that Congress is working on the ground for the common man and believed that the people will vote for them.

"The Congress is working for the common man, gave appropriate rate for the crops. Issued separate manifesto for women under the "Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon" campaign. I am confident that people will vote for Congress in the upcoming polls," he said.

Asked about the leaders changing the parties weeks ahead of the beginning of the election, Baghel said that the sitting ministers leaving the BJP is on the basis of their experience of five years working in the government.

"When there is an election, the leaders may change their parties. Three MLAs of the Samajwadi Party also joined the BJP. But the most important thing is that if as many as 14 leaders including the ministers leave the party accusing the government of neglecting the Dalits, farmers and backward classes, then this is the crux of their experience of the five years," he said.

"The BJP which had been seeking votes in the name of religion has been exposed that they have done nothing for them. So the common people are upset with the BJP," the Congress leader added.

Meanwhile, former Samajwadi Party leader and Congress candidate from Noida, Pankhuri Pathak hit out at the sitting MLA Pankaj Singh and said that he could not be seen among the people during the entire duration of the COVID pandemic.

"Pankaj Singh, son of Union Minister Rajnath Singh was not seen among the public for the whole five years. During the COVID pandemic, we worked for the people of the constituency, I did the sanitisation work with the resources that I had," she said.

On Thursday, the party rolled out its first list of 125 candidates for the assembly elections which are due to be held in seven phases in Uttar Pradesh from February 10 and the list includes 50 women candidates.

Elections for the 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10, the Election Commission said. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7 in seven phases.

The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

( With inputs from ANI )

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