IF Uttar Pradesh were a country, it would be one of the world's most populous. And this poverty-stricken northern melting pot of over 200 million people is the biggest prize in India's election ending on Sunday (19).
Uttar Pradesh (UP) has 80 parliamentary seats, the most of any state, and at the 2014 election, prime minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept up 71 of them.
This helped give BJP a three-decade record of 282 seats in the 545-seat parliament to oust India's grand old Congress party, which sunk to a record low of 44, just two of them in UP.
"To be in Delhi, you need to perform very well in UP," Ashok Upadhyay, political scientist at Banaras Hindu University said.
Many analysts credit the BJP's previous electoral success to a fragmented opposition and a massive shift of disparate caste groups towards Modi over an array of issues, including emotive religious appeals.
UP, which has given India nine prime ministers, lies at the centre of the country's vast northern Hindi-speaking belt, home to around a third of India's 1.3-billion population and which in 2014 formed the core of the BJP's support.
But the landlocked region, home to the Taj Mahal and roughly the size of Britain, is also a cauldron of religions and castes and in this election an unlikely anti-Modi alliance has been formed.
One part of it is the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), headed by Mayawati, the formidable "Dalit Queen" whose championing of India's lower castes helped her become UP chief minister four times.
She has partnered with her former sworn foes the Samajwadi Party (SP), led by another former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, and the smaller Rashtriya Lok Dal party (RLD). Absent from the tie-up though is Congress.
"Our aim is to oust the BJP and for the entire opposition to be united," Vandana Singh, spokeswoman for Yadav's Samajwadi Party said.
The state's chief minister is currently the BJP's hardline Yogi Adityanath, a shaven-headed, saffron-robed Hindu monk whose uncompromising rhetoric has alienated many voters.
The BJP insists it is confident but experts say the ruling party knows it is going to lose support in UP.
As a result the party is aiming to make up for losses by picking up seats in north-eastern and eastern India, most notably in West Bengal where it faces another tough challenger in the hard-left Mamata Banerjee.
"Getting a majority (in parliament) means a comprehensive electoral performance across the country," Nalin Kohli, a BJP spokesman said.
But personal honour is also at stake in UP for both Modi and Rahul Gandhi, the head of Congress hoping to become the fourth member of India's venerable Gandhi-Nehru dynasty to become prime minister.
The UP city of Varanasi, where Hindus are cremated on the banks of the holy Ganges 24 hours a day, is where Modi is standing, and the 68-year-old's popularity there is unparalleled.
He won the seat with a huge majority in 2014, telling voters that he wasn't an outsider he hails not from UP but from Gujarat but Varanasi's "son of the soil".
Locals praise him for his efforts to develop the city dotted with temples and thronging with pilgrims and tourists in a state that is a byword for chronic underdevelopment.
But he may have overstepped the mark with his ambitious plan to urbanise the city, razing centuries-old homes to clear the view to a Hindu temple.
"People of Uttar Pradesh are angry with Modi and I think both Modi and BJP will pay politically for it," Santosh Singh, a restaurant owner in Varanasi said.
"BJP is no longer a people's party, it's just about Modi," he said.
Gandhi, 48, meanwhile is standing in Amethi, a family bastion in the state. But he is also contesting a constituency in the southern state of Kerala, something allowed under Indian election rules just in case.
Nigel Farage poses in front of a mock passenger departures board following the Reform UK Deportations Policy Announcement on August 26, 2025 in Oxford. (Photo: Getty Images)
Nigel Farage sets out plans to repeal human rights laws to allow mass deportations.
Reform UK targets removal of 600,000 asylum seekers if elected.
Farage warns of "major civil disorder" if action is not taken.
Government minister calls proposals "a series of gimmicks".
NIGEL FARAGE, leader of Reform UK, on Tuesday set out plans to repeal human rights laws to enable mass deportations of asylum seekers, saying the step was needed to prevent "major civil disorder".
Farage said his party would take Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), repeal the Human Rights Act and override other treaties that have been used to stop forced deportations.
"We are not far away from major civil disorder," Farage said at a press conference. "It is an invasion, as these young men illegally break into our country."
Protests and public anger
The announcement followed protests in recent weeks outside hotels housing asylum seekers, triggered by concerns over public safety after individuals were charged with sexual assault.
Polls show immigration has overtaken the economy as the main issue for British voters. Reform UK, which has four MPs but is leading in surveys of voting intentions, is pressuring Labour prime minister Keir Starmer to act on the issue.
Britain received 108,100 asylum applications in 2024, almost 20 per cent more than the previous year. The largest groups of applicants were from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Bangladesh. Numbers arriving by small boats across the Channel also hit a record this year.
Deportation target of 600,000
Reform said it could deport 600,000 asylum seekers in its first term in power if it wins the next election, due by 2029. At the press conference, Farage asked Reform official Zia Yusuf if the target of 500,000 to 600,000 deportations was possible.
Starmer’s government, like previous ones, has struggled with undocumented migration. Reform’s plan includes deals with Afghanistan, Eritrea and other countries to repatriate nationals who entered Britain illegally.
Government response
Government minister Matthew Pennycook dismissed the plans as "a series of gimmicks" and said the ECHR underpinned agreements such as the Good Friday Agreement, which ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland.
Farage said the peace deal could be renegotiated but added it would take years.
On Tuesday, an Ethiopian asylum seeker went on trial accused of sexual assaults against a woman and a teenage girl, an arrest that sparked protests last month.
Farage presses case
Farage said he was the only leader willing to take steps to address public concerns.
"It's about whose side are you on," he said. "Are you on the side of women and children being safe on our streets, or are you on the side of outdated international treaties backed up by a series of dubious courts?"
Starmer’s government has pledged to target smuggling gangs by reforming the asylum appeals process and recruiting more enforcement staff.
The previous Conservative government’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was ruled unlawful by Britain’s top court.
Conservative Party response
In response to the Reform immigration press conference, Chris Philp MP, shadow Home secretary, said: “Nigel Farage is simply re-heating and recycling plans that the Conservatives have already announced.
“Earlier this year we introduced and tabled votes on our Deportation Bill in Parliament, detailing how we would disapply the Human Rights Act from all immigration matters, and deport every illegal immigrant on arrival.
“Months later, Reform have not done the important work necessary to get a grip on the immigration crisis and instead have produced a copy and paste of our proposals. Only Kemi Badenoch and the Conservatives are doing the real work needed to end this scourge – with further, detailed plans to be announced shortly.”
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CHILDREN should start learning about democracy from the age of 11 so that they are ready to take part in elections when they turn 16, the head of the UK’s elections regulator has said.
Vijay Rangarajan, chief executive of the Electoral Commission, explained that the watchdog is developing teaching material for schools in response to the government’s decision to extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds.
At first, the resources will be aimed at pupils aged 14 and over, but he stressed that proper preparation would mean beginning at the start of secondary school.
Speaking to The Guardian, Rangarajan stressed that classroom lessons must remain impartial. “Teachers need to be very clear when something is just their personal opinion,” he said, urging staff to avoid letting political beliefs influence teaching. “We are putting huge effort into ensuring the material is neutral.”
His comments come as debates continue about bias in education. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has claimed schools are “full of leftwing prejudice” and hostile to his party.
Rangarajan acknowledged that political parties are worried about partiality, but said the Commission’s work is focused on ensuring trust.
Surveys suggest schools are not yet fully preparing pupils for the vote. A poll of 6,000 teachers by Teacher Tapp revealed that over four in five do not think the current curriculum gives students the knowledge they need to vote at 16. Around half of 16- and 17-year-olds also admit they feel under-informed about politics.
Experience from Scotland, where 16-year-olds were able to vote in the 2014 independence referendum and now vote in Holyrood and local elections, showed why schools must be engaged. Rangarajan said teaching there had been inconsistent and sometimes avoided. “That’s why we are getting on with this early,” he was quoted as saying. “Teachers need support so they are confident in handling sensitive topics.”
The Commission’s materials will also address how to judge online information and recognise misinformation. Rangarajan argued that early education could help young voters form lifelong democratic habits.
His remarks were made after the government announced wider reforms, including tougher rules on party funding, higher fines for breaches, stronger action against abuse of candidates and steps towards automatic voter registration.
Rangarajan welcomed moves to close loopholes that allow foreign money into politics, something the Commission has pushed for since 2013.
However, he repeated calls for the regulator’s independence to be restored. Under Boris Johnson’s government, ministers were given the power to set the Commission’s priorities, ending its full autonomy.
“A government relies on elections to stay in power,” he warned. “It should not be directing the body that oversees those elections.”
The elections chief also highlighted growing risks from online abuse, particularly against women and ethnic minority candidates. He warned that deepfake pornography is already being used to intimidate female politicians.
The Commission is working with police and IT specialists in pilot schemes in Scotland to identify and stop such attacks.
On political donations, Rangarajan said cryptocurrency gifts should not be banned, despite concerns over traceability. Parties already receive unusual contributions, such as artwork or yacht use, which can be just as difficult to assess, he noted.
According to Rangarajan, the biggest challenge now is maintaining faith in democratic institutions. “We need to equip young people with knowledge and confidence,” he said, “while making sure the system itself remains transparent and fair.”
The Siddhashram Community Hub in Harrow hosted a special gathering of devotion and culture as the Indian diaspora came together to honour Shri Pankajbhai Modi from Gujarat, India. Pankajbhai spent five days in London attending a Shiv Katha at Siddhashram in remembrance of the Air India Air Crash victims, an offering that resonated deeply with the audience.
The event took place on 22 August 2025 in the divine presence of HH Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji, whose vision and guidance have united communities across the UK. The occasion was further blessed by Param Pujya Shri Jogi Dada, Param Pujya Shri Maheshbhai Bhatt, and Shri Dhruv Bhatt.
In his address, Pankajbhai Modi urged families to uphold their roots through language and culture. “If you are Indian, speak your language with pride. At home, embrace your mother tongue with respect,” he said.
Guruji, praising Pankajbhai’s humility, described him as “a saint in civil duties, devoted to service and unity.”
The evening included a cultural performance by Chittal Vyas and her team, and the presence of distinguished guests such as Radhika Rupani and family, along with community leaders from Mahavir Foundation, The Jain Centre, Anoopam Mission, and Pinner Swaminarayan Mandir.
The gathering ended with a strong call for unity, service, and cultural pride, reinforcing the values that continue to strengthen the diaspora in the UK.
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Zia Yusuf said the party would consider paying the Taliban to take back migrants who entered Britain illegally. (Photo: Getty Images)
REFORM UK would consider paying the Taliban to take back migrants who entered Britain illegally, former party chairman Zia Yusuf has said.
Yusuf told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he believed it was “quite reasonable” for the UK government to offer money to Afghanistan’s regime as part of a returns deal.
He said: “Well, we have a £2bn budget to offer countries… It's not a drop in the ocean to Afghanistan, certainly not a drop in the ocean for Eritrea, the two countries that are top of the list of boat crossings.”
He added: “This country already gives £151m a year to Afghanistan in the form of foreign aid. I think it's quite reasonable.”
The comments come as Nigel Farage prepares to set out Reform’s plan on illegal migration, including leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, scrapping the Human Rights Act and introducing a British Bill of Rights.
The party would also deport those arriving by small boats to their country of origin or third countries.
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook criticised Reform’s plans, calling them “put together on the back of a fag packet” in an interview with Sky News.
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'These offences have often been misunderstood by professionals, resulting in victims not getting the support they deserve,' said home secretary Yvette Cooper.(Photo: Getty Images)
UK POLICE will be trained to recognise the signs of honour-based abuse and victims encouraged to come forward as part of a new crackdown, the government said on Tuesday (26), prompting praise from survivors and campaigners.
Recent statistics showed that police in England and Wales have recorded 2,755 honour-based abuse offences, defined as crimes or incidents committed to defend the "honour" of a family or community.
"For too long, these devastating crimes which include honour-motivated killings, female genital mutilation and forced marriage have been allowed to happen in the shadows," the government said in a statement.
Police will be trained to spot the signs of honour-based abuse so they can "step in and support victims as soon as possible".
The Home Office will also pilot a study looking at how widespread the crime is and launch a community awareness campaign to encourage victims to come forward.
"These offences have often been misunderstood by professionals, resulting in victims not getting the support they deserve," said home secretary Yvette Cooper.
"Make no mistake - we will use everything at our disposal to make sure perpetrators face justice and victims are protected," she added.
The charity Karma Nirvana and 22 other organisations welcomed the move, which will also include the introduction of a new legal definition of honour-based abuse.
"Alongside investment in awareness, training, and the national helpline, this change... has the potential to save countless lives and protect future generations," said Natasha Rattu, executive director of Karma Nirvana.
The mother of Fawziyah Javed, who was murdered by her husband as she planned to leave their marriage, also praised the plan.
"I am pleased that the government has listened to our calls for a statutory definition of honour-based abuse, and that this change has been made in Fawziyah's memory," said Yasmin Javed.