UP phase four polls: In parched Bundelkhand, seven of 19 seats saw close race in 2012

All the 19 seats of the Bundelkhand region, which is arguably the most underdeveloped part of Uttar Pradesh, go to polls on Thursday, along with 34 other constituencies in the Doab region.

It is perhaps due to the measly share of just 19 seats that the region is electorally insignificant for politicos and is subject to much neglect from Lucknow, once the electoral frenzy is over. This probably explains why the region has remained economically backward despite being hit by severe drought since the last 15 years.

The scales tilted in favour of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in 2012 Assembly election in the region that has a relatively low minority population but a high Dalit presence. While the BSP registered victory in seven seats in Bundelkhand, the Samajwadi Party bagged five constituencies. The BJP had to contend itself with merely three seats, according to the Election Commission data.

Representational image. PTI

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However, what will garner attention to this years poll in the region is the fact that seven of the 19 seats in Bundelkhand were won by a whisker in 2012 — that is on these seats the winning candidate won by a margin of less than three percent of the total votes polled.

Of the seven narrowly won seats, BSP bagged four seats while the SP emerged victorious on two of the constituencies; one seat went to Congress.

Here are the seven constituencies that witnessed the narrowest margins of victory.

Kalpi: This seat was won by Congress candidate Umakanti, defeating BSP's Sanjay Singh by a margin of a mere 6650 votes.

Mauranipur (SC): Rashmi Arya of the Samajwadi Party defeated BSP's Rajendra Ahirwar by a margin of 6648 votes on the reserved seat.

Naraini (SC): Gayacharan Dinkar of the BSP defeated Bharatlal Diwakar of SP by a margin of 4757 votes on the seat reserved for a scheduled caste candidate.

Baberu: Vishambhar Singh of the SP defeated Brij Mohan Singh of the BSP by a margin of just 1148 votes.

Mahoba: The contest on this seat went down to the wire as BSP candidate Rajnarain (Alias Rajju) barely managed to scrape through a win by a margin of 354 votes, defeating SP candidate Siddhgopal Sahu.

Mehroni (SC): Another reserved seat in the region, Mehroni seat in Lalitpur district, was won by Feran Lal of the BSP by a margin of 1737 votes, defeating BJP's Manohar Lal

Manikpur: BSP candidate Chandrabhan Singh Patel defeated SP's Shyamacharan Gupta by a margin of 3697 votes in this constituency.