The BJP has decided to field fiery sanyasin and OBC-Lodh leader Uma Bharti from the Charkhari seat in UP’s Bundelkhand region. It has, however, left the question of CM candidate open, saying the party will go to polls collectively.

Bundelkhand a photo essay

खजुराहो दुनिया में अपने आप में एक एसा स्थान है जिसका किसी से मुकाबला नहीं किया जा सकता है |  यहाँ के मंदिरों में जीवन की फिलोअस्फी छिपी है  | दुनिया के किसी भी मंदिर या दूसरे स्थानों पर आपको सिर्फ एक पहलू नजर आयेगा पर यहाँ आपको  धर्म, अध्यात्म, योग , भोग  जिंदगी का दर्शन सभी कुछ देखने को मिलेगा | यही  कारण है की खजुराहो के इन मंदिरों को देखने के लिए देश दुनिया से रिकार्ड संख्या में  पर्यटक आये | इस बार जो  पर्यटक आये उनने अब तक के सारे रिकार्ड तोड़ दिए | 

Veer Singh Patel, son of notorious dacoit Shiv Kumar Patel alias Dadua, will be Samajwadi Party's candidate from Chitrakoot assembly constituency. On Sunday, SP state president Akhilesh Yadav cancelled the candidature of Sunil Patel who had earlier been given the ticket by the party. Sunil Patel happens to be the son of SP MP from Chitrakoot RK Singh Patel.

This is the second time that SP reshuffled ticket allocation in Chitrakoot. Veer Singh, who was allotted the ticket last year in April found his candidature cancelled by December. Speaking to TOI, Veer Singh said that he was asked by SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav some nine months ago to nurture the constituency. "He(Mulayam) had assured me a ticket when I met him after my candidature was cancelled by the party in December," said Veer Singh.

With just 16.57 per cent of the total allocation under the special Bundelkhand package spent so far in Uttar Pradesh and 21.70 per cent in Madhya Pradesh over two years, the Planning Commission is all set to extend the package.

“We have discussed this matter informally. In principle, the Planning Commission has agreed. It is now a matter of procedure since most of the fund is still to be utilised under the package,” said J S Samra, the CEO of National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA).

The NRAA is the nodal agency created under the Planning Commission to release the funds under the Bundelkhand package.

According to the NRAA reply to an RTI application by this correspondent, till November 30, 2011, it released Rs 860.973 crore to UP out of a total allocation of Rs 3,606 crore.

MP against the Proposal of separate Bundelkhand state

Chief minister Mayawati's proposal to split Uttar Pradesh into four parts has not gone down well with the people living in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh.

The formation of Bundelkhand (besides Purvanchal, Avadh Pradesh and Pashchim Pradesh) proposed by Mayawati would create
problems as some areas of this backward region fall in MP which will make the new state almost politically and economically non-viable.

Montek’s visit to Bundelkhand sparks war between BSP & Congress

The visit of Deputy Chairman of the Planing Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia to Jhansi district on Sunday to inspect the schemes implemented with funds from the Bundelkhand package became a Congress versus BSP affair, with Union Minister of State for Rural Development Pradeep Jain “Aditya” constantly finding faults and UP officials trying to counter him.

Besides Jain, who is MP from Jhansi, UP’s Chief Secretary Anoop Mishra accompanied Ahluwalia who inspected check-dams, dams, dug wells, food processing units and construction of rural roads at several villages on the second day of his visit.

Before leaving for Delhi by Shatabdi Express in the evening, Ahluwalia said he would send details of his findings in a letter to the governments of UP and MP. He heads the advisory panel meant for overseeing implementation of the Centre-approved Rs 7,266 crore drought mitigation package for Bundelkhand for a period of three years from 2009-10.

Hindus join Muslim brothers in paying homage on the occasion of Muharrum

In this backward Uttar Pradesh town, Hindus join their Muslim brothers in paying homage to the martyrs of Karbala on the occasion of Muharrum. This unique tradition, bringing the two religious communities together in praying, started about 260 years ago with a Maratha setting up "Ramji Ka Imambara" at the Gulab Bagh road in Aliganj locality here. While the Muslims recite "fateha" before the "tazias" installed at the Imambara during this month, their fellow Hindu devouts pray before the "dhaal, naal and alams" identified with Muharrum. Devouts of both the religions pray under one roof, setting a rare example of communal amity and brotherhood.

Five generations of the Marathi family, who had set up this imambara, have been personally taking part in observing Muharrum and they converge here on this occasion every year. 71-year-old Basant Raj Samant, an advocate by profession, representing the fourth generation of the family, said that ever since 1750 this tradition has been kept alive by them and he too makes it a point to come here from Pune every year.

The Uttar Pradesh assembly on Monday passed a resolution seeking to divide the state into four parts. The resolution was passed with a voice vote.

The UP assembly was adjourned sine die immediately after the passage of the resolution seeking to divide the sate.

Earlier in the day, the assembly was adjourned for an hour amid uproar created by SP, BJP and Congress MLA over no-confidence motion and resolution on division of UP. Contrary to constitutional norms, chief minister Mayawati was not present at the start of the session.

After Five Years, Monsoon Brings Smile to Parched Bundelkhand

Good rainfall this monsoon season in Bundelkhand region of the state has brought some cheer at a time when the region has been reeling under drought-like situation for the past five years.