Pankaj Jaiswal is Chief of Bureau, Uttar Pradesh and covers politics. His continued interest in rural, distress, and development journalism, fetched him a handful of prestigious awards and fellowships. Pankaj is a photo-journalist too and tweets at @augustus29lotus
Articles by Pankaj Jaiswal
SP will fight on 65 seats, leave 15 for allies: Akhilesh
SP is fully capable of defeating the BJP in UP single-handedly...had there not been dishonesty in elections in the state, the party would have formed govt after 2022 UP polls, he says
Updated on Nov 02, 2023 06:28 AM IST
Akhilesh hints at truce; says top Cong leader sent message, will accept it
Akhilesh had taken an aggressive stance against the Congress since last Sunday (October 15) following failure in seat-sharing for the forthcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly polls.
Updated on Oct 22, 2023 06:54 AM IST
If confusion prevails, INDIA bloc can never defeat BJP: Akhilesh
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized the Congress for not forging an alliance in Madhya Pradesh, saying the INDIA bloc cannot defeat the BJP with confusion. Yadav also warned the Congress about making comments on his party's stronghold of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh.
Updated on Oct 21, 2023 05:04 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Alliance under stress as Akhilesh now accuses Cong of betrayal
Yadav also threatened that he will mete out a “tit-for-tat” response to the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, where the SP is the far stronger partner
Updated on Oct 20, 2023 10:25 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Akhilesh says INDIA alliance only at national level amid tensions with Congress
Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday asked the Congress to clarify whether the tie-up was also at the state level and said his party would contest all 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh in 2024
Published on Oct 19, 2023 04:49 PM IST
Mission 2024 set to bear ‘family first’ stamp for SP’s first family
At least six members of the SP’s first family – the Yadavs -- are likely to contest the parliamentary polls and the party has zeroed in on seats for four of them and is looking for suitable seats for two others.
Published on Oct 12, 2023 05:08 PM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
In post-Mulayam era, SP sheds ‘anti-Cong tag’ to pursue national ambition
Now a constituent of the Congress-led India Alliance, Akhilesh’s party has come up with PDA formula and added caste census to its agenda
Published on Oct 10, 2023 12:07 PM IST
In post-Mulayam era, SP sheds ‘anti-Congress tag’ to pursue national ambition
Now a constituent of the Congress-led India Alliance, the Samajwadi Party helmed by Akhilesh Yadav faces the challenge of trying to overcome the domination of the Bharatiya Janata Party
Updated on Oct 10, 2023 06:56 AM IST
Love in motion: Lucknow rider dedicates PBP 2023 medal to late wife
When tragedy struck, Amrita and Prabhat were attempting a Guinness World Record and riding from Lucknow to Mumbai under the accreditation of the World Ultra Cycling Association (WUCA) to become the first married couple in South-Asia to do 2,000 km in 168 hours
Published on Oct 06, 2023 05:54 PM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
SP using women’s quota law to bolster caste survey, ‘PDA’ agenda ahead of LS polls
It is demanding a ‘quota within the quota’ for the ‘PDA’ women from backwards, Dalits and minority communities, especially Muslims, as per their share in the population
Updated on Oct 06, 2023 05:06 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Cast(e) in a familiar mould, Samajwadi Party’s demand to become shriller after Bihar report
The Samajwadi Party's pro-caste census slogan is expected to gain momentum in Uttar Pradesh as the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar released findings of its caste survey, revealing that OBCs and EBCs make up 63% of the state's population. The SP advocates for proportionate representation of caste groups in reservation and government schemes and aims to increase the reservation cap for OBCs. The Bihar report strengthens the SP's claim that OBCs are over 60% in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress party has also taken up the OBC and caste census issue as part of the opposition alliance against the BJP-led NDA.
Updated on Oct 03, 2023 05:03 PM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Bihar caste survey: Opposition steps up call for similar drive in heartland states
The results of Bihar’s caste survey announced on Monday galvanised opposition parties in the heartland states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to demand similar exercises in their states.
Updated on Oct 03, 2023 09:00 AM IST
Disquiet in Samajwadi Party over Cong's sudden posturing on OBCs, caste census?
The Congress’s cosying up to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) is being perceived as causing some unease among the INDIA alliance’s regional partners.
Updated on Oct 01, 2023 04:31 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
SP pushes for ‘PDA’ inclusivity within women’s quota; calls Bill a poll gimmick before 2024
SP is demanding a ‘quota within the quota’ for the ‘PDA’ i.e. Pichada, Dalits, Alpsankhayak -- women from Backward, Dalits, and minority communities, especially Muslims.
Published on Sep 19, 2023 05:37 PM IST
Akhilesh Yadav to sound poll bugle in Chhattisgarh on Sept 25
Akhilesh’s outing is part of the party’s plan of electorally expanding out of Uttar Pradesh as it aspires to turn a national party.
Published on Sep 17, 2023 12:20 AM IST
Samajwadi Party’s ‘longest cycle rally’ clocks 2,600 km, rolls on
Before this, the longest ‘Desh Bachao, Desh Banao’ bicycle rally spanned 27 days covering a distance of 1,500 km - from Ghazipur in eastern UP to New Delhi - in 2018-19
Published on Sep 14, 2023 11:36 PM IST
Ghosi win to give Akhilesh Yadav more say within INDIA bloc
Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Sudhakar Singh defeated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominee Dara Singh Chauhan by a margin of over 42,000 votes.
Published on Sep 09, 2023 11:14 PM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
SP retains Ghosi amid INDIA vs NDA clamour
The bypoll was necessitated by Dara Singh Chauhan quitting as SP MLA and rejoining the BJP in July this year
Published on Sep 09, 2023 01:17 AM IST
In UP, Ghosi bypoll to be 1st face-off between INDIA, NDA
The bypoll in Ghosi constituency has become a battle between the NDA and the newly formed INDIA alliance, with only two major candidates in the fray.
Updated on Aug 30, 2023 04:46 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Ahead of INDIA coalition’s Mumbai meet, SP identifying seats for itself
The SP, according to sources in the party, is likely to contest at least 40 to 50 seats and will leave others for the alliance partners--currently Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Congress and Apna Dal (K). While the party is in the process of identifying the 40-50 strong potential seats for itself, it will not share Mainpuri, Kannauj, Azamgarh, Sambhal, Badaun, and Firozabad seats which are well-known as SP pocket boroughs.
Updated on Aug 27, 2023 12:35 AM IST
Ghosi battle intensifies as Mukhtar’s family bats for SP candidate
Suhaib Ansari, SP MLA from Mohammadabad and son of former MLA Sibgatullah Ansari, campaigned extensively in Ghosi’s largely Muslim dominated areas and villages for two days
Updated on Aug 25, 2023 11:37 PM IST
Ghosi battle hots up as SBSP splinter group bats for SP
While the SP is defending the seat, BJP’s Dara Singh Chauhan too is defending Ghosi seat as he was SP MLA who resigned from here on July 15 to join the BJP
Updated on Aug 22, 2023 10:04 PM IST
Lok Sabha polls: ‘Chacha’ Shivpal Yadav vows to undo damage of 2019, orchestrate Akshaya’s victory from Firozabad in 2024
The assertion by Shivpal Yadav came even as the SP informally declared Akshaya its candidate for the same seat for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls during the party’s ‘Lok Jagaran Abhiyaan’ in Firozabad on Sunday.
Updated on Aug 21, 2023 12:00 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
I am hurt, will meet Rahul Gandhi: Khabri
Former Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Brijlal Khabri said he would like to know the circumstances that led to his ouster from the party post
Updated on Aug 20, 2023 11:13 PM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Shivpal back to forefront in SP’s scheme of things
On Wednesday, Shivpal Yadav opened the party’s cadre training camp ‘Lok Jagran Abiyan’ in Banda. On Thursday, Akhilesh Yadav concluded the camp with a speech to party workers and leaders.
Updated on Aug 17, 2023 11:59 PM IST
Can Akhilesh Yadav’s southern push help Samajwadi Party pursue national ambitions?
The visits have been made even though the Samajwadi Party has won only a handful of seats in the south since its inception 31 years ago.
Updated on Aug 18, 2023 01:22 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Assembly bypoll: Interesting fight likely as SP fields ex-MLA from U.P.’s Ghosi seat
Since the BSP often does not contest bypolls and thus it is likely to be a straight fight between the SP and the BJP on the seat
Updated on Aug 14, 2023 11:19 PM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
INDIA gives a shot in the arm to SP’s caste census demand
Since the formation of INDIA, the Congress’ pitch for the caste census is also getting louder. The RLD had not taken a stand on the issue, but it now supports the demand along with Apna Dal (K)
Updated on Jul 30, 2023 01:14 AM IST
Presence in ‘INDIA’ alliance fuels Samajwadi Party’s ambitions outside Uttar Pradesh
The Samajwadi Party has a clear ambition to turn itself into a national entity from a “regional giant” in Uttar Pradesh.
Updated on Jul 25, 2023 12:09 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
SP-RLD, Congress joining hands in UP now a strong possibility
This day will go down in Indian history as the “Bengaluru revolution of patriotism and positive politics,” stated Akhilesh Yadav in a tweet
Updated on Jul 19, 2023 12:52 AM IST
