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
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
The Jhola Man: Crusading against plastic use with cloth bags & rationale
Not all heroes wear capes: In Barabanki, Ajeet is well-known for distributing cloth bags among people.
Updated on Jul 09, 2023 05:10 PM IST
Akhilesh wheels out 2024 formula with accent on caste census
Akhilesh, who had played MY(Muslim-Yadav)-OBC-Dalit card, had also dabbed it with a bit of the soft Hindutva formula in the 2022 U.P. assembly polls.
Updated on Jul 04, 2023 11:27 PM IST
Akhilesh ‘facing heat’ to take Congress on board in U.P.
Not just the Congress and the RLD, but even senior party leaders within the SP ranks want Yadav to also “show a big heart” to the Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, and chief ministers of non-BJP ruled states are among those expected to attend the joint opposition meeting in Patna today.
Updated on Jun 22, 2023 10:24 PM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Ahead of Opposition meet, some non-BJP parties hint at friction with Congress
On Sunday, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal started campaign for Rajasthan assembly elections in December by accusing Congress and BJP of “indulging in corruption.”
Updated on Jun 20, 2023 06:32 AM IST
From barren & dry to lush green: Firozabad dist admin, locals develop micro-forest along Lucknow-Agra e-way
The idea behind this micro-forest -- between Firozabad and Agra -- was conceived by the then Firozabad district magistrate Neha Sharma.
Updated on Jun 04, 2023 11:25 PM IST
As Jayant Chaudhary ‘flirts’ with Cong, RLD-SP alliance hits a rough patch?
Scrapping reports of a rift, the RLD leadership has said that the civic poll has a different nature and parties need to satisfy the political ambitions of their local candidates.
Updated on May 22, 2023 05:59 PM IST
With an eye on expansion, SP begins spade work for MP polls
While the party has set up its organisational structure in MP and is working on candidates’ selection, it has begun dharna-demonstration against the MP BJP government for visibility among the people of Madhya Pradesh.
Updated on Apr 12, 2023 11:17 PM IST
In run-up to 2024, SP eyes strong booth-level presence
Akhilesh Yadav has announced that the party must have a strong booth-level organisational set-up to defeat the BJP in the state in the upcoming polls
Published on Mar 28, 2023 12:58 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Congress must support regional parties to defeat BJP: Akhilesh Yadav
Akhilesh Yadav’s comments came a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha after being convicted by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case.
Updated on Mar 26, 2023 01:59 AM IST
Cong should back regional parties to defeat BJP in 2024 LS poll: Akhilesh
In a statement, the Samajwadi Party chief suggested all these anti-BJP regional political outfits should come together
Updated on Mar 25, 2023 11:32 PM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
President Droupadi Murmu says Uttar Pradesh’s holy places focal point of India’s spiritual strength
Our President symbolises ‘women power’, says Uttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel, CM Yogi Adityanath congratulates Droupadi Murmu on behalf of ‘25 crore people of state’
Published on Feb 12, 2023 11:50 PM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
UP Global Investors Summit: Yogi Adityanath says Uttar Pradesh has received ₹32.92 lakh crore investment proposals through roadshows
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath describes UP Global Investors Summit as Mahakumbh of investment, says 18,645 MoUs have been signed
Published on Feb 11, 2023 02:00 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow