The Samajwadi Party, which had lost the 2007 Assembly elections mainly because of its patronage to criminals and anti-social elements, has again given tickets for the upcoming Assembly elections to people facing serious criminal charges.

Delayed list of candidates, a rudderless campaign, lack of leaders and angry allies — all this and much more plagues the Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh on the eve of elections.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati has sacked two more ministers from her government. The sacked ministers of state are Yashpal Singh, who held the science and technology portfolio, and Akbar Hussein, in charge of alternative energy. Both have also been denied tickets for the forthcoming Assembly elections.

The UP polls in February are all set to cast a shadow over the Rajya Sabha biennial elections to 10 seats, scheduled to be held in March.

As the political temperatures rise in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming elections, the CBI probe into the NRHM scam and the murders of three medical officials, which has ample political ramifications, is also reaching its logical conclusion.
According to highly-placed sources in the CBI, the premier investigating agency could begin arrests in the multi-crore scam early next week.

With the UP election now staring in the face, UP chief minister Mayawati has shed all considerations of caste, corruption and crime and all that matters for her now is the winnability factor.
According to highly placed BSP sources, the chief minister is reassessing the position of her party candidates and over 70 BSP candidates are expected to be changed in the next two or three days.

The Lucknow police, on Sunday, busted a gang that was involved in human organ trafficking and selling kidneys.

In an unprecedented move, UP chief minister Mayawati on Sunday night dismissed four ministers from her Cabinet.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday slammed UP chief minister Mayawati for criticising the food security bill and said that if the UPA government did anything for the benefit of the poor, Ms Mayawati was bound to criticise it.

Campaigning in the 2012 UP elections is all set to undergo a sea change.
Dhoti-clad politicians, steeped in tradition, are now climbing on to social networking sites to link themselves to their votes. Young wannabe politicians are using the platform to connect with their leaders and middle-ranking politicians are also using these sites to get in a word with their leaders.