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
Amidst apparent breach in Samajwadi Party ranks, voting for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh today
The BJP got another boost with Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) chief and Kunda MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh aka Raja Bhaiya pledging the backing of his party’s two lawmakers
Updated on Feb 27, 2024 06:14 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Eight Samajwadi Party MLAs skip Rajya Sabha poll eve dinner in Lucknow, cause a flutter
The development triggered speculation of a major breach by the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) camp into the Samajwadi Party ranks
Updated on Feb 27, 2024 05:32 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Lok Sabha elections: SP, Congress seal UP seat share pact
The SP and the Congress on Wednesday announced a seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections for Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, marking the first major breakthrough in contentious seat talks in the beleaguered INDIA bloc.
Updated on Feb 22, 2024 07:24 AM IST
Failed in 2017, will UP Boys pass this time?
Rahul was 46 at that time, while Akhilesh was 43. Presently, Akhilesh is 50 years old, and Rahul is 53. Nevertheless, the slogan ‘UP Ke Ladke’ has emerged from the dusty shelves of memory.
Updated on Feb 22, 2024 05:44 AM IST
SP-Congress alliance: A call that broke the ice
The Samajwadi Party has agreed to allocate 17 Lok Sabha seats to the grand old party in Uttar Pradesh.
Updated on Feb 22, 2024 04:59 AM IST
LS polls: Our 17-seat offer final, ball in Congress court now, says SP
The ‘final offer’ was made by the Samajwadi Party when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was arriving in Amethi on Monday
Updated on Feb 21, 2024 04:49 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Swami Prasad’s exit widens chink in Akhilesh’s PDA armour
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had been trying to add and expand non-Yadav OBC and Dalit base to the party’s original Muslim-Yadav support base in U.P. since 2022
Updated on Feb 21, 2024 06:02 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Rajya Sabha Polls in Uttar Pradesh: Uphill task for SP’s 3rd candidate amid cross-voting challenge
The SP is already facing criticism from within and outside for not fielding any non-Yadav OBC and Muslim for the elections despite harping on PDA (pichada, Dailt, alpsahnkhyak) formula for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Updated on Feb 16, 2024 08:12 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Top realtor fielded to build winning strategy against SP
Sanjay Seth is aware that he is short of numbers but the confidence with which he stated “bilkul jitengey (will surely win)” showed the BJP think tank’s plan to probe opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Updated on Feb 16, 2024 08:14 AM IST
Is all well in INDIA seat-sharing talks in UP?
Samajwadi Party has been breaking the news on seat-sharing agreement with allies, but Congress’s demands still seem unmet – a look at what’s going on
Published on Jan 31, 2024 06:47 PM IST
Three Yadav kin in SP’s first list for Lok Sabha polls
The first list came amid further seat-sharing talks with Congress; so far, the SP has offered seven seats to long-standing ally Rashtriya Lok Dal and 11 to the Congress
Updated on Jan 31, 2024 06:02 AM IST
2024 LS polls: SP grapples with alliances, candidates left in the dark
The delay is denying the prospective/tentative candidates the chance to start preparations in their respective constituencies well in advance before the notification is issued
Updated on Jan 30, 2024 05:46 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Akhilesh’s cryptic post on seats for Cong triggers speculation
As Akhilesh’s post sparked speculations, those familiar with the issue said the SP was not willing to accommodate the Congress on more than 13 seats.
Updated on Jan 28, 2024 04:39 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
SP gives seven seats to ally RLD for 2024 LS polls
While the official announcement has been made regarding the number of seats for the RLD, the parties have not named the seats yet. However, sources say that all the seven seats are in western UP, the RLD’s stronghold.
Updated on Jan 20, 2024 06:24 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Congress, SP hold ‘fruitful’ seat-sharing talks for Lok Sabha polls
Discussions lasted for two hours and were attended by senior leaders from both parties.
Updated on Jan 18, 2024 05:11 AM IST
Ahead of 2024, SP reiterates stand against inclusion of BSP in INDIA
The BSP has maintained a distance from the ruling NDA and the Opposition’s INDIA bloc ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Updated on Dec 24, 2023 05:17 AM IST
SP sticks to its guns, doesn’t want BSP in INDIA bloc
The BSP has maintained a distance from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition’s Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Updated on Dec 24, 2023 05:22 AM IST
Plastic-to-diesel plant takes roots in Ram Nagri
A 20 TPD (tonnes per day) plant is being established to convert all types of plastic waste, both non-recyclable and recyclable, into automotive diesel.
Published on Dec 22, 2023 08:00 PM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
Samajwadi Party ends up with its worst vote share in Madhya Pradesh
The Samajwadi Pradesh contested 69 seats in Madhya Pradesh this time and did not even come a close second on any of them
Updated on Dec 04, 2023 01:34 AM IST
Pankaj Jaiswal, Lucknow
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