AAP cancels rallies in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh amid rise in COVID cases

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday decided to cancel its rallies in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh in view of the rising cases of Coronavirus. As per AAP leader Sanjay Singh, the party will instead hold virtual rallies in the state in the lead-up to the elections. 

This development also comes days after AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal tested COVID-positive. Taking to Twitter, the Delhi Chief Minister had revealed that he had isolated himself at his residence after experiencing mild symptoms.

His revelation had come a day after he attended a massive rally of AAP in Uttarakhand, where the party is seeking to make inroads in the upcoming polls. Two days prior to this, he had addressed a rally in Lucknow where he promised 300 units of free electricity, 10 lakh jobs, and an unemployment allowance of Rs 5,000 per month.

Rallies & meetings that stand cancelled in UP amid COVID spike

Congress: Uttar Pradesh Congress has postponed its 'Ladki Hun Lad Sakti Hun' marathon due to a rise in COVID cases, 7 to 8 marathons were planned in Noida, Varanasi, and various other districts of the states in the coming days. The cancellation also follows the massive backlash it faced after young girls were injured in a stampede in its Bareilly event.  Apart from this, Congress has also decided to postpone major rallies in Uttar Pradesh and other poll-bound states. 

Yogi Adityanath's Noida visit: UP CM Yogi Adityanath has cancelled his Noida visit, scheduled to take place on January 6. The CM was to visit the Gautam Buddha University in Greater Noida. 

PM Modi's Lucknow visit: PM Modi's Lucknow rally which was scheduled to be attended by 10 lakh people will now be held virtually, it was supposed to be held on three consecutive days on Jan 9,10,11. 

Akhilesh Yadav's Ayodhya visit: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was supposed to visit Ayodhya on January 7, which has also been canceled amid the COVID outbreak. 

Uttar Pradesh Elections 2022

For the 2022 polls, BJP is fighting under the leadership of its incumbent CM Yogi Adityanath. On the other hand, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has ruled out any alliance with Congress and BSP, he has hinted at allying with his uncle Shivpal Yadav. He has announced a tie-up with Mahan Dal, Rajbhar's SBSP, and the Apna Dal faction of Krishna Patel. RLD is also likely to be allocated 30-35 seats in this alliance. Congress has aggressively campaigned under Priyanka Gandhi in the state, eyeing its solo return. 

(Image: PTI)