However, the Prime Minister - in his early morning tweet, warned people against the deadly COVID-19 and urged them to follow all necessary protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs) laid down by the officials.
With the beginning of the first phase of high-stake assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appealed to all eligible citizens of the state to participate in the “holy festival of democracy” by exercising their franchise.
“Today is the first phase of voting in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. I request all the voters to participate enthusiastically in this holy festival of democracy by following the rules of COVID-19. Remember - Vote first, then refreshments!” said PM Modi in a tweet.
उत्तर प्रदेश विधानसभा चुनाव में आज पहले चरण की वोटिंग है। सभी मतदाताओं से मेरा आग्रह है कि वे कोविड नियमों का पालन करते हुए लोकतंत्र के इस पावन पर्व में बढ़-चढ़कर हिस्सा लें। याद रखना है- पहले मतदान, फिर जलपान!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi)However, the Prime Minister - in his early morning tweet, warned people against the deadly COVID-19 and urged them to follow all necessary protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs) laid down by the officials.
Voting for the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections on 58 assembly seats covering 11 districts of the state began on Thursday at 7 am. The voting will conclude at 6 pm today.
The fates of the several heavyweight candidates, including ministers Suresh Rana, Shrikant Sharma and Atul Garg will be sealed.
Also read: UP Election 2022: Polling underway on 58 seats in first phase
Ahead of the beginning of the polls, PM Modi on Wednesday had expressed confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will emerge victorious and form governments with an absolute majority in Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.
“I have seen in all states that there is the inclination towards the BJP and we will win the elections with a full majority. The people of all these five states will give BJP the opportunity to serve them,” he told news agency ANI in an exclusive interview.
“Wherever BJP got the opportunity to work with stability, there the environment is of 'pro-incumbency' instead of ‘anti-incumbency’. The BJP always emerges victoriously with 'pro-incumbency' in elections,” he noted.
The Election Commission of India declared the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections 2022 schedule, announcing voting in seven phases on the following dates. In Uttar Pradesh, the first phase polling will be held on February 10, the second phase on February 14, the third phase on February 20, the fourth phase on February 23, the fifth phase on February 27, the sixth phase on March 3 and the seventh phase on March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.