One of the heartening things about Indian elections is that many people consider voting to be an important duty.

There have been several instances that saw even a bride or groom, or sometimes even both, take time to vote, hours before tying the knot .

But one person seems to have left everyone behind in his dedication to cast vote.

Polling in one of India's most populous states, Uttar Pradesh, began on Thursday with people numbering in thousands turning up to cast their vote.

A bedridden man, Mukesh Tyagi, who was admitted in the ICU ward of Apollo Hospital in Delhi arrived in Bulandshahr district, travelling more than 100 kilometres (62 miles),&nbsp; to vote.

The trolly was equipped with necessary medical facilities, such as oxygen cylinder, medicines, nebuliser etc., to enable him to reach the voting centre.

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वोट के प्रति ऐसी दीवानगी कभी नहीं देखी होगी। 
बुलंदशहर: ट्रैक्टर ट्रॉली में आईसीयू वार्ड और आईसीयू वार्ड में भर्ती मरीज पहुंचा मतदान के लिए मतदाता केंद्र। 
अपोलो अस्पताल में भर्ती था मरीज़, <a href="https://t.co/USd8JBCtfN">pic.twitter.com/USd8JBCtfN</a>
— Ajit Singh Rathi (@AjitSinghRathi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AjitSinghRathi/status/1491691936876736513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
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A video of the man also went viral, with many left spellbound over his dedication. In the video, when he was asked for how long has he been ill, Tyagi replied, "three months."

He said that he personally arranged the trolly and asked his doctor to equip it with necessary medical arrangements so that he can go out and vote.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The voter turnout in the first phase of UP polls till 5 pm was at 57.79 per cent.

The polling started at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm in adherence to the Covid-appropriate guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India.

In the first phase, 58 assembly constituencies in 11 districts of UP will go to polls. As many as 623 candidates are in the fray in the first phase and around 2.27 crore people are eligible to vote in this phase.&nbsp;

The election for the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly will be held in seven phases, with the last round on March 7. Counting of votes will be held on March 10.

One of the heartening things about Indian elections is that many people consider voting to be an important duty. There have been several instances that saw even a bride or groom, or sometimes even both, take time to vote, hours before tying the knot .

One of the heartening things about Indian elections is that many people consider voting to be an important duty. There have been several instances that saw even a bride or groom, or sometimes even both, take time to vote, hours before tying the knot . But one person seems to have left everyone behind in his dedication to cast vote. Polling in one of India's most populous states, Uttar Pradesh, began on Thursday with people numbering in thousands turning up to cast their vote. A bedridden man, Mukesh Tyagi, who was admitted in the ICU ward of Apollo Hospital in Delhi arrived in Bulandshahr district, travelling more than 100 kilometres (62 miles), to vote. The trolly was equipped with necessary medical facilities, such as oxygen cylinder, medicines, nebuliser etc., to enable him to reach the voting centre. वोट के प्रति ऐसी दीवानगी कभी नहीं देखी होगी। बुलंदशहर: ट्रैक्टर ट्रॉली में आईसीयू वार्ड और आईसीयू वार्ड में भर्ती मरीज पहुंचा मतदान के लिए मतदाता केंद्र। अपोलो अस्पताल में भर्ती था मरीज़, pic.twitter.com/USd8JBCtfN — Ajit Singh Rathi (@AjitSinghRathi) February 10, 2022 × A video of the man also went viral, with many left spellbound over his dedication. In the video, when he was asked for how long has he been ill, Tyagi replied, "three months." He said that he personally arranged the trolly and asked his doctor to equip it with necessary medical arrangements so that he can go out and vote. The voter turnout in the first phase of UP polls till 5 pm was at 57.79 per cent. The polling started at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm in adherence to the Covid-appropriate guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India. In the first phase, 58 assembly constituencies in 11 districts of UP will go to polls. As many as 623 candidates are in the fray in the first phase and around 2.27 crore people are eligible to vote in this phase. The election for the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly will be held in seven phases, with the last round on March 7. Counting of votes will be held on March 10.

Watch: Bedridden Indian man goes to vote in 'ICU ward' attached to tractor trolly

Just a few days before India's much-awaited Assembly elections in India's northern state Uttar Pradesh (UP), a politician switched camps and caused a massive stir.&nbsp;

Once a star campaigner of India's opposition party Indian National Congress in UP, Ratanjit Pratap Narain Singh recently joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - the ruling party in the state and the country.&nbsp;

His move was a massive setback to Congress, which is looking forward to reviving itself in the state by winning more seats than previous elections.&nbsp;

In Uttar Pradesh, Congress has remained out of power for three decades and only managed seven seats in the 403-member state Assembly in 2017.

<img alt="RPN SIngh" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="525a4026-6230-44d8-b8b9-718a01cd3dca" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/20220125108L_0.jpg" />

RPN Singh, who is a prominent figure in the politics of eastern UP, was named as a "star campaigner" by the Congress party.

He&nbsp;resigned in a dramatic way as he posted his resignation to party chief Sonia Gandhi on Twitter.&nbsp;He wrote in the caption: "Today, at a time, we are celebrating the formation of our great Republic, I begin a new chapter in my political journey. Jai Hind."&nbsp;

RPN Singh, popularly known as 'Raja Saheb of Padrauna' (a scion of the royal family from Padrauna), became youth Congress President of Uttar Pradesh in 1997 and AICC Secretary in 2003.&nbsp;

Singh was elected to Lok Sabha in 2009 as he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kushinagar constituency in the fifteenth Lok Sabha from 2009 to 2014.&nbsp;

<img alt="RPN SIngh" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9140d2d4-e89a-487b-9ebf-eada0739135f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/20220125106L.jpg" />

The move might favour BJP to a large extent as the party is trying to compensate the vacuum of a 'kurmi' leader (OBC in eastern Uttar Pradesh) after Swami Prasad Mourya's recent exit from the party.&nbsp;

Reports have also stated that the Yogi Adityanath government may field Singh from Padrauna Assembly constituency under Kushi Nagar district, the seat he represented thrice from 1996 to 2007.&nbsp;

Singh had defeated Maurya from Kushinagar in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. However, Singh lost both the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Kushinagar.&nbsp;

On the other hand, Maurya, who is the sitting MLA of the Vidhan Sabha recently joined the Samajwadi Party (SP) - a party gunning to win the upcoming polls in the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav.&nbsp;

For the unversed, in the 2017 UP Assembly polls, Maurya had won the constituency for BJP. If he fights against RPN Singh from the Padrauna constituency, it will be a battle to watch out for.&nbsp;

After resigning, Singh further said, "This is a new beginning for me and I look forward to my contribution to nation-building under the visionary leadership &amp; guidance of the Honourable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi, BJP president Shri @JPNadda ji &amp; Honourable Home Minister @AmitShah ji."&nbsp;

Also, it is important to note that Singh has definitely spiced up the battle in a small city in UP, but his switch might not impact the narratives pan-UP.&nbsp;

But quitting the party is a big blow because he was considered close to Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi who are facing conflicts within the party&nbsp;as some big names have joined other camps&nbsp;in recent years - such as Jyotiraditya Scindia.&nbsp;

RPN Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada, Sachin Pilot were once considered significant faces in the youth congress. Recently, Prasada also quit.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Just a few days before India's much-awaited Assembly elections in India's northern state Uttar Pradesh (UP), a politician switched camps and caused a massive stir.

Just a few days before India's much-awaited Assembly elections in India's northern state Uttar Pradesh (UP), a politician switched camps and caused a massive stir. Once a star campaigner of India's opposition party Indian National Congress in UP, Ratanjit Pratap Narain Singh recently joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - the ruling party in the state and the country. His move was a massive setback to Congress, which is looking forward to reviving itself in the state by winning more seats than previous elections. In Uttar Pradesh, Congress has remained out of power for three decades and only managed seven seats in the 403-member state Assembly in 2017. RPN Singh, who is a prominent figure in the politics of eastern UP, was named as a "star campaigner" by the Congress party. He resigned in a dramatic way as he posted his resignation to party chief Sonia Gandhi on Twitter. He wrote in the caption: "Today, at a time, we are celebrating the formation of our great Republic, I begin a new chapter in my political journey. Jai Hind." RPN Singh, popularly known as 'Raja Saheb of Padrauna' (a scion of the royal family from Padrauna), became youth Congress President of Uttar Pradesh in 1997 and AICC Secretary in 2003. Singh was elected to Lok Sabha in 2009 as he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kushinagar constituency in the fifteenth Lok Sabha from 2009 to 2014. The move might favour BJP to a large extent as the party is trying to compensate the vacuum of a 'kurmi' leader (OBC in eastern Uttar Pradesh) after Swami Prasad Mourya's recent exit from the party. Reports have also stated that the Yogi Adityanath government may field Singh from Padrauna Assembly constituency under Kushi Nagar district, the seat he represented thrice from 1996 to 2007. Singh had defeated Maurya from Kushinagar in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. However, Singh lost both the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Kushinagar. On the other hand, Maurya, who is the sitting MLA of the Vidhan Sabha recently joined the Samajwadi Party (SP) - a party gunning to win the upcoming polls in the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav. For the unversed, in the 2017 UP Assembly polls, Maurya had won the constituency for BJP. If he fights against RPN Singh from the Padrauna constituency, it will be a battle to watch out for. After resigning, Singh further said, "This is a new beginning for me and I look forward to my contribution to nation-building under the visionary leadership & guidance of the Honourable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi, BJP president Shri @JPNadda ji & Honourable Home Minister @AmitShah ji." Also, it is important to note that Singh has definitely spiced up the battle in a small city in UP, but his switch might not impact the narratives pan-UP. But quitting the party is a big blow because he was considered close to Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi who are facing conflicts within the party as some big names have joined other camps in recent years - such as Jyotiraditya Scindia. RPN Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada, Sachin Pilot were once considered significant faces in the youth congress. Recently, Prasada also quit. (With inputs from agencies)

India's Assembly Election: How RPN Singh's move made small city in UP a battle to watch out for

Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, tested negative for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening, but he has announced that he will skip today's rally in western Uttar Pradesh and will avoid public appearances for three days.

Yadav announced his COVID-negative test on Twitter in Hindi earlier today, stating that he made the decision as a preventative measure after members of his family were sick.&nbsp;

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परिवार के लोगों के कोरोना पॉज़िटिव होने की वजह से हम तीन दिनों के लिए एहतियात बरतते हुए सार्वजनिक कार्यक्रमों में शामिल नहीं हो पाएँगे। 
 
आज की इगलास की ‘सपा-रालोद’ की संयुक्त रैली की अपार सफलता के लिए शुभकामनाएँ व सभी कार्यकर्ताओं से पूरे उत्साह और ऊर्जा से सक्रिय रहने की अपील। <a href="https://t.co/v7mkNJtlEC">pic.twitter.com/v7mkNJtlEC</a>
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/yadavakhilesh/status/1473911479116124160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
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This comes just hours after his wife, Dimple Yadav, and their daughter were found to be infected with the illness in the middle of the high-stakes Uttar Pradesh election campaign.

Dimple Yadav, a former Member of Parliament, said on Twitter that she has tested positive for COVID-19, but that she is fully vaccinated and asymptomatic.&nbsp;

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मैंने कोविड टेस्ट कराया जिसकी रिपोर्ट पॉजिटिव है। 
 
मैं पूरी तरह से वैक्सिनेटेड हूं और कोई भी लक्षण अभी दिखाई नहीं दे रहे है। 
 
अपनी और दूसरों की सुरक्षा की दृष्टि से मैंने खुद को अलग कर लिया है। 
 
हाल फिलहाल मुझसे मिलने वाले सभी लोगों से अनुरोध है कि वे अपना टेस्ट जल्द कराएं।
— Dimple Yadav (@dimpleyadav) <a href="https://twitter.com/dimpleyadav/status/1473605868088291329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, tested negative for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening, but he has announced that he will skip today's rally in western Uttar Pradesh and will avoid public appearances for three days.

Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, tested negative for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening, but he has announced that he will skip today's rally in western Uttar Pradesh and will avoid public appearances for three days. Yadav announced his COVID-negative test on Twitter in Hindi earlier today, stating that he made the decision as a preventative measure after members of his family were sick. परिवार के लोगों के कोरोना पॉज़िटिव होने की वजह से हम तीन दिनों के लिए एहतियात बरतते हुए सार्वजनिक कार्यक्रमों में शामिल नहीं हो पाएँगे। आज की इगलास की ‘सपा-रालोद’ की संयुक्त रैली की अपार सफलता के लिए शुभकामनाएँ व सभी कार्यकर्ताओं से पूरे उत्साह और ऊर्जा से सक्रिय रहने की अपील। pic.twitter.com/v7mkNJtlEC — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) December 23, 2021 × This comes just hours after his wife, Dimple Yadav, and their daughter were found to be infected with the illness in the middle of the high-stakes Uttar Pradesh election campaign. Dimple Yadav, a former Member of Parliament, said on Twitter that she has tested positive for COVID-19, but that she is fully vaccinated and asymptomatic. मैंने कोविड टेस्ट कराया जिसकी रिपोर्ट पॉजिटिव है। मैं पूरी तरह से वैक्सिनेटेड हूं और कोई भी लक्षण अभी दिखाई नहीं दे रहे है। अपनी और दूसरों की सुरक्षा की दृष्टि से मैंने खुद को अलग कर लिया है। हाल फिलहाल मुझसे मिलने वाले सभी लोगों से अनुरोध है कि वे अपना टेस्ट जल्द कराएं। — Dimple Yadav (@dimpleyadav) December 22, 2021 ×

India Assembly Elections 2022: Akhilesh Yadav skips rally after his wife and daughter test positive for COVID