National News
Battle for UP: First phase in UP is challenge for BJP, hope for SP

There is a battle for the BJP in western Uttar Pradesh, hope for the Samajwadi Party and revival for the Rashtriya Lok Dal in the region that goes to polls in the first phase on February 10.
The region, considered one of the most politically sensitive, surcharged and highly polarised areas, especially after the farmers’ agitation, will set the tone for elections in the remaining six phases in Uttar Pradesh.
Elections will be held in the 94 Assembly segments in 11 districts of west Uttar Pradesh namely, Shamli, Meerut, Hapur, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Agra, Gautam Buddha Nagar and Mathura, on February 10.
In the 2017 Assembly elections, BJP had received a decisive mandate in the region and carried that momentum further to other parts of the state.
The BJP, in 2017, had won 66 of the 76 seats in this region. The Samajwadi Party (SP) won four, the Bahujan Samaj Party won three, the Congress won two and the Rashtriya Lok Dal could win only one.
The scenario has changed almost completely in the past five years.
The wounds of Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013 have healed to a large extent and the Jat-Muslim hostility has diluted. The communal lines have blurred and farmer unity is now a bigger factor in the region. Religious polarization is unlikely in the region in the present scenario.
The BJP has been trying to placate the farmers by repealing farm laws but its own leaders are queering the pitch by announcing that farm laws will be brought back after the elections.
It has been a tough going so far for the BJP whose leaders have been facing hostile voters in the rural interiors of the region. The failure of the government to announce MSP guarantee, payment of cane dues, shortage of fertilizer and the menace of stray cattle are factors that remain major irritants for the ruling BJP. The government’s apathy towards families of farmers who died during agitation, is another major factor.
The biggest political beneficiary of the farmers’ agitation that lasted for one year, however, is the Rashtriya Lok Dal.
The RLD president Jayant Chaudhary has managed to regain lost ground among the Jat community to a large extent by extending active support to farmers during their agitation. Jayant has been visiting villages, attending Khap meetings and interacting closely with Jat leaders.
The demise of Chaudhary Ajit Singh in May last year, has also brought ample sympathy for Jayant and his party is poised to make a political comeback in west UP.
The Samajwadi Party, this time, is contesting the elections in alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal. It had allied with the Congress in 2017 but could not make much headway as Jats, then, had opted for BJP because the wounds of Muzaffarnagar riots were still fresh.
The SP, this time, is confident of riding piggyback on RLD’s growing popularity graph.
The partnership could give a tough fight to the BJP in many parts of western Uttar Pradesh.
Besides, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle Shivpal Yadav will be contesting in alliance with the Samajwadi Party and this will help avoid a split in his key vote bank.
One factor that could upset Samajwadi Party calculations in the first phase is the entry of Asaddudin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM).
The party could play an important role in many constituencies as the Muslim population in this region amounts to around 26 per cent.
If the AIMIM succeeds in weaning away Muslim votes — or even a section of votes — the SP-RLD alliance may not perform as well as expected.
The first phase in western UP is also crucial for the Bahujan Samaj Party since the region was once considered as a party stronghold.
This time, the emergence of Bhim Army which will be contesting as Azad Samaj Party is bound to damage the BSP which, in any case, is being questioned for Mayawati’s absence in its campaign.
Mayawati, has, so far, restricted herself to tweets and press releases but has not stepped out of her home to campaign.
The Congress, on the other hand, is losing leaders with an alarming frequency. Congress national secretary and one of its more popular leaders in the areas, Imran Masood, is all set to join the Samajwadi Party.
Masood, a former MLA, has been repeatedly urging the party leadership to join hands with the SP to defeat BJP.
Harendra Malik and Pankaj Malik of Congress have already quit the party to join the SP.
The women card of the Congress is unlikely to work in western UP where the patriarchal system still dominates the society and women claimants in elections are few and far in between.
One thing that is clear is that any party that takes a head start in the first phase where 94 seats — almost one-fourth of the total 403 seats — will be going to polls, will enjoy a definite advantage in the remaining six phases of elections in Uttar Pradesh.
Maharashtra
171 Maharashtra Tourists Safe, Search On For Missing Woman In landslide-hit Uttarakhand

Mumbai: A woman tourist from Maharashtra has remained untraceable since landslide and flash floods hit Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, state Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan said on Saturday.
The minister’s office in a statement said that 171 out of the 172 tourists from Maharashtra, who were stranded in the Dharali area, could be contacted, and they were all confirmed safe.
The Statement
“Only one person, Kritika Jain, is still missing, but the authorities are trying to locate her. Efforts are underway to establish contact with the tourist, and the Uttarakhand State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) has been instructed to conduct a search for her,” the statement said.
Of the 171 tourists from Maharashtra, 160 are safe at various locations – 31 are in Matli, six in Jolly Grant, and 123 in Uttarkashi – and have continued their journey as planned. The remaining 11 tourists are safe in Harsil and will be airlifted to safety, it stated.
Mahajan is overseeing the rescue operation on-site in Uttarkashi to ensure the safety of tourists.
The Maharashtra State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) is in constant touch with its Uttarakhand counterpart, the district control room, the district emergency operations centre in Uttarkashi, and the National Emergency Response Centre in New Delhi.
According to the statement, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is monitoring the situation.
As per information shared by Uttarakhand authorities, the airlift of tourists stranded in Harsil was scheduled for Saturday morning. Army, NDRF, SDRF and local rescue teams are operational in Dharali.
The landslide and floods have damaged roads and disrupted communication networks. Efforts are underway to restore connectivity and basic infrastructure.
A satellite phone has been deployed by IGP Rajeev Swaroop, and the Army has been alerted for immediate response.
The Maharashtra SEOC is coordinating rescue arrangements, updating information, and assisting the concerned families, the statement added.
National News
‘Hurt By US President Donald Trump’s Tariff Attack, PM Modi Now Posing As Farmers’ Defender,’ Says Congress Leader Jairam Ramesh

New Delhi: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attempting to portray himself as a champion of Indian farmers, after being “hurt and subdued” by recent criticism from US President Donald Trump.
Ramesh recalled the 2020-21 farmers’ protests against the three farm laws, alleging that the Prime Minister mocked the agitators by calling them “protest enthusiasts” in Parliament. He claimed that over 700 farmers lost their lives during the protests, yet the Prime Minister expressed no regret or sympathy.
“Five years ago, there was a time when the Prime Minister, in Parliament, mocked the protesting farmers by calling them ‘protest enthusiasts.’ More than 700 farmers lost their lives during the protests against three black, anti-farmer laws, but not a single word of pain, regret, or sympathy came from the Prime Minister’s mouth for them. Farmer organizations are still demanding a legal guarantee for MSP, calculated by adding 50% profit to the total cost of production (C2), along with concrete debt relief. The Prime Minister remains completely silent on these demands, even though these same issues were raised by India’s former Vice President,” he posted on X.
“In November 2019, the Prime Minister was fully prepared to include India in the RCEP trade agreement, which could have caused significant harm to Indian farmers and dairy producers. However, due to persistent pressure from the Congress Party and farmer organisations, Prime Minister Modi had to back down at the last moment,” he added.
He further took a jibe, saying, “Now, hurt and subdued by Trump’s attacks, PM Modi is trying to present himself as the greatest champion of Indian farmers, but no one is under any illusion about this.”
On Thursday, in a message against the tariffs imposed by the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that farmers remain India’s top priority and that the country would never compromise their interests.
“For us, the interest of our farmers is our top priority. India will never compromise on the interests of farmers, fishermen and dairy farmers. I know we will have to pay a heavy price for it, and I am ready for it. India is ready for it,” PM Modi said while addressing the MS Swaminathan Centenary International Conference.
His remarks come amid the Trump administration doubling the tariff imposition to 50 per cent on goods from India. During trade negotiations, the United States was pushing for greater access to India’s agricultural market, especially for corn, soybeans, and cotton.
However, India has so far resisted the opening of the agricultural sector and dairy products due to concerns about domestic livelihoods and potential impacts on farmers.
National News
28 Tourists From Kerala, Maharashtra Feared Missing After Uttarakhand Cloudburst And Landslides

Kochi: A 28-member group of tourists, who are natives of Kerala, has gone missing after a cloudburst triggered massive mudslides in Uttarakhand, family members said on Wednesday.
Of the 28 individuals, 20 are reportedly from Kerala settled in Maharashtra, while the remaining eight are from various districts in Kerala, a relative of one of the couples in the group told the media.
She said the couple’s son last spoke to them a day ago.
“They said they were leaving from Uttarkashi to Gangotri at around 8.30 am that day. The landslides occurred along that route. We have been unable to contact them since they left,” she said.
She added that the Haridwar-based travel agency, which arranged the 10-day Uttarakhand tour, was also unable to provide any update on the group’s whereabouts.
“Their phones may have run out of battery by now. There is no mobile network in that region currently,” she said.
At least four people have been confirmed dead in the disaster that struck Dharali, an ecologically fragile region in Uttarakhand, following the cloudburst on Tuesday afternoon.
Officials said nearly half of Dharali was buried under a massive mudslide of slush, debris, and water. The village is a key stop on the route to Gangotri, the origin of the Ganga, and hosts several hotels and homestays.
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