25 percent voting in UP till noon, heavy turnout expected in final phase

Lucknow: Around 25 per cent votes were polled till noon today for the seventh and final phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, marking the end of the month-long exercise.

Polling for the seventh and final phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, covering 60 constituencies began this morning amidst tight security arrangements.

Polling for the 60 seats, nearly half of which were bagged by BSP last time, in ten districts began at 7 AM and 24.7 per cent polling was registered till noon, Chief Eelectoral Officer Umesh Sinha said.

The Election Commission expects heavy turnout in this phase also in keeping with the trend seen in the earlier rounds where voting percentage has witnessed an unprecedented rise.

More than 1.82 crore voters in this phase of polling, which was earlier scheduled for 4 February but was later postponed to 3 March, would decide the fate of 962 candidates including some political veterans.

Several prominent leaders, including MP Jaya Prada, BJP national general secretary Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and SP leader Azam Khan cast their votes.

Lakhimpur registered 24 per cent, Badaun 23 per cent, Bheemnagar 27 per cent and Bijnor 25 per cent polling.

The final phase of polls covers Bijnore, Moradabad, Bheem Nagar, Rampur, Jyotiba Phule Nagar, Badaun, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur and Lakhimpur Kheri in which more than 1.82 crore voters are expected to exercise their franchise.

Besides Samajwadi Party’s Muslim face Mohammad Azam Khan, who is contesting from Rampur, the fate of minister in Mayawati government Omvati from Nagina seat, BSP MP Jugal Kishore’s son Saurabh from Kasta and Rastriya Parivartan Dal head D P Yadav, considered heavyweight from Sahsawan seat, would be decided in this concluding phase.

The impact of BJP MP from Aonla Maneka Gandhi, her son and BJP MP from Pilibhit Varun Gandhi, Union Minister and MP from Dhaurara seat in Lakhimpur, Jitin Prasad and Congress MP Azharuddin in their constituencies would be keenly watched.

Over 57 per cent polling was recorded in the last six phases of the elections to the 403-member UP assembly which started on February 8 with the stakes being high for Mayawati’s ruling BSP which is facing a tough challenge from Congress, BJP and SP.

An impressive 62 to 64 per cent turnout was registered in the first phase covering 55 seats. Nearly 59 per cent voting was registered in 59 seats for the second phase of February 11.

The third phase on February 15 saw a turn out of around 57 per cent in 56 seats. The next phase on February 19, covering Rae Bareli and Amethi, strongholds of Nehru-Gandhi family, also registered a turnout of over 57 per cent.

The fifth and the sixth phase on February 23 and 28 recorded 59 per cent polling in 49 seats and 68 seats respectively.

In the 2007 assembly polls, BSP had emerged the biggest party bagging 27 seats, while SP and BJP had got 17 and nine seats respectively.

While Rashtriya Parivartan Dal (RPD) of D P Yadav had got two seats, Congress and others got one seat respectively.

The Rashtriya Lok Manch party headed by former SP stalwart Amar Singh and local Rampur MP Jaya Prada’s influence is also at stake.

The clout and impact Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi — who addressed a total of 211 rallies and conducted roadshows covering 18 assembly constituencies from 14 November till 29 February including this region — has garnered will also be tested in this phase.

After casting his vote at Rampurv, BJP leader Naqvi said his party would form the next government in the state. He alleged that Congress was controlling the SP and BSP through remote control. PTI