There appears no clear front-runner among the three major contestants - BJP, SP-Congress and BSP - in the 73 seats going to polls in the first phase of elections in Uttar Pradesh with factors including demonetisaiton, problems of farmers and caste and community considerations likely to influence the outcome. While the BJP appears to be in no position to repeat its performance of 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Bahujan Samaj Party has steadily built up momentum of its campaign and the Samajwadi Party and Congress are expecting to benefit from their alliance. The Rashtriya Lok Dal is also a force to reckon with on several seats, due to its appeal among Jat voters. For the BJP, which is banking heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal and its “social engineering”, the first phase is crucial to build momentum for the remaining six phases of assembly election for 403 seats in the Uttar Pradesh assembly. But the party has been battling challenges, including perceived unhappiness among the Jat community, which has a sizeable presence on most seats going to polls in the first phase. [caption id=“attachment_3272566” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PTI[/caption] There has also been unhappiness among small traders and labourers who faced difficulties due to the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Choudhary Naresh Tikait said the central government has “done nothing” for the farmers and rural areas in last two-and-a-half years. “Farmers are moving towards cities. I do not see any benefit due to demonetisation. It has rather caused problems, specially to farmers,” he said. Naresh Tikait, son of well-known farmer leader Mahendra Singh Tikait, said there was “a wave for Modi in 2014” but the situation was different now. “Political parties have sought to divide farmers on caste lines for their own benefit,” he added. Pushpinder Choudhury, who is affiliated to Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, said the Jats would consolidate behind RLD. “They are angry BJP over the issue of reservation and demonetisation,” he said. On its part, the BJP has sought to reach out to the Jat community and farmers. The party’s manifesto has several promises for them including loan waiver for small and marginal farmers. Modi, in his rally at Bijnor on Friday, said the Samajwadi Party government led by Akhilesh Yadav had not given the sugarcane farmers their due and BJP will ensure them justice. He also promised to set up Chaudhary Charan Singh Kisan Kalyan Kosh in every district of the state. In 2012, the BJP had won only 11 of the 73 seats that will vote on Saturday. The Bahujan Samaj Party and SP had won 24 seats each, Rashtriya Lok Dal had won nine and Congress five. BSP chief Mayawati has been assiduously building up her campaign and seeking to woo the Muslim community to add to her firm support base among the Dalits. To win the trust of the community, BSP has fielded a large number of Muslim candidates. Apart from the 24 seats it won in 2012, the BSP had finished second on over 30 seats. With the Samajwadi Party joining hands with the Congress, the two parties are looking to improve their performance. Samajwadi Party leader and UP minister Rajendra Choudhary said their main contest is with the BJP. “On some seats, the BSP and RLD have their presence but we are ahead in the contest. We will perform better than in 2012,” Choudhary told IANS. Muslims, Jats and Dalits have large presence in the seats going to the polls in the first phase in western UP. The members of the minority community are likely to vote for a candidate who is in a position to defeat the BJP. Rajendra Choudhary said the community will overwhelmingly vote for SP-Congress. “I do not think their vote is getting divided,” Choudhary said. The RLD, which could have been part of SP-Congress alliance, is now contesting on its own. The party is seeking to revive its support base among the Jat and farming communities. The party has said it will not join hands with BJP after the assembly polls. Pradeep Mathur, Congress MLA from Mathura, said the fight in western UP is between SP-Congress alliance and the BJP. “BSP has very nominal presence. Majority of Muslim voters are with us and we are going to form the next government by winning around 40 seats (in this phase,” Mathur told IANS. Minister of Stare for Agriculture and BJP leader Sanjeev Balyan admitted that the situation was not good for the party as it was in 2014, when the BJP had led in over 65 of 73 assembly segments. “But the most important thing is that BJP is in fight on each seat of Western Uttar Pradesh. As far as Jats are concerned, they are with BJP. Khaps never interfere in politics. We have fielded 18 Jat candidates. RLD will only cut votes. The fight here is between the BJP and the SP-Congress alliance,” he said. Hukum Singh, BJP MP from Kairana, also claimed that BSP was not in the picture anywhere.
Uttar Pradesh first phase polling as it happened: Polling closes in western UP, around 63% voter turnout recorded
There appears no clear front-runner among the three major contestants - BJP, SP-Congress and BSP - in the 73 seats going to polls in the first phase of elections in UP
 "Uttar Pradesh first phase polling as it happened: Polling closes in western UP, around 63% voter turnout recorded")
Watch: Firstpost’s roundup on the seventh and final phase of UP Election with SanjaySingh and Badrinarayan
56 percent voting till 4 pm in UP phase 7 polls
Around 56 per cent of the 1.41 crore voters exercised their franchise till 4 PM today in the seventh and last phase of Uttar Pradesh elections covering 40 Assembly seats spread over seven districts. Assembly constituencies in Varanasi saw 45 percent polling while the Naxal-hit Mirzapur had 47.50 percent polling till 4 pm, it said. PTI
Over 41 percent voting till 2 pm in UP phase seven polls
Over 41 per cent votes were polled till 2 pm on Wednesday in the seventh and last phase of Uttar Pradesh elections covering 40 Assembly seats spread over seven districts.
Meanwhile… PM Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah offered prayers at Somnath temple
As the massive polling exercise across five states draws towards its end, PM Modi and Amit Shah were seen offering prayers at the Somnath temple in Gujarat.
After concluding the high-decibel canvassing in all states, especially UP, looks like the BJP top-brass is now pleasing gods for their efforts to pay off.
PM Shri @narendramodi and BJP National President Shri @AmitShah offer prayers at Somnath Temple in Gujarat. pic.twitter.com/lDgOviGtWy
— BJP (@BJP4India) March 8, 2017
In the past couple of weeks, the prime minister’s attitude and his speech strategy at rallies has changed unmistakably. Starting his speeches with the archetypal mitron, which Modi says with a smile, the prime minister’s rally speeches suddenly found more of communal undertones and less of the various benefits of demonetisation.
When Modi kick started his campaign in the state on 2 January with his Parivartan rally in Lucknow, the BJP was focussing on appeasing farmers, planning to announce some pro-poor schemes and focus on the many benefits of the 8 November, 2016 decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. The party planned to dedicate the campaigning on making sure that the demonetisation drive was used to its fullest. The second poll issue that Modi wanted to hammer home was development. Modi stayed clear of any communal references in his speech. Until that infamous ‘kabristan’ speech.
The prime minister was criticised for playing the Hindutva card. Interestingly, the time when Modi made the graveyard comment, three phases of polling were already done. Ground reports did not give any political party a clear lead and analysts said that the shift from development plank to communal plank was party’s strategy to engineer counter-polarisation sentiments by whipping up apprehensions about the Samajwadi Party’s pro-minority image.
Women vote in large numbers
Aware that it was International Women’s Day on the day of polling, most women told the waiting media outside the polling booths that they were voting to ensure safety and security for women and girls. Professors and members from the teaching fraternity turned up in large numbers to cast their votes in the early hours in the Benaras Hindu University (BHU).
Ajay Rai, the Congress candidate from Pindra, also cast his vote along with his wife. He first performed puja at a temple before heading for the polling station. Rai had unsuccessfully challenged Narendra Modi in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Farmers in Mirzapur’s Chunar region boycott elections over lack of irrigation facilities
Farmers boycotted voting in Mirzapur’s Chunar assembly segment alleging lack of irrigation facilities & development.
Mirzapur: Farmers boycott voting at polling booth number 283 of Chunar assembly segment alleging lack of irrigation facilities & development pic.twitter.com/jQvik9PX5t
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 8, 2017
From ‘bahu ji’ to SP star campaigner: The metamorphosis of Dimple Yadav
The reticent and soft-spoken bahu (daughter-in-law) of the first family of the ruling Samajwadi Party in UP, Dimple Yadav, has finally found her groove, emerging as a major crowd puller in election rallies all over the state.
From the fumbling leader who repeatedly corrected herself while going through her written speeches, the new Dimple – the star campaigner – has learnt how to
keep the audience especially the youth involved and impress them.
PTI
Over 26 percent voting till 12 noon in last phase of UP polls
Over 26 per cent votes were polled till noon for the seventh and last phase of Uttar Pradesh elections. Polling started amidst tight security arrangements this
morning with all eyes on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi.
Varanasi saw 23.76 percent polling, while the Naxal infested Mirzapur had 26.63 per cent polling till 11 am.
PTI
Narendra Modi made UP Assembly polls a referendum on himself, but at what cost?
A glance at news headlines will give to the uninitiated viewer an impression that this isn’t a race for Assembly seats at all, but presidential polls with Modi pitted against a battery of rivals. Therefore, it is pertinent to explore how and why UP Assembly election has become a de facto referendum on Modi, a prime minister who obviously can’t be a chief ministerial candidate.
However, his unprecedented involvement in the campaign for state polls not only ensured that Modi remains the central figure in any narrative, but it pitted Mayawati and Akhilesh against him, instead of weaker BJP candidates.
**Read the full analysis here**PM Modi urges people to turn out and cast their votes
Urging all those voting today, in the 2nd phase of the Manipur Assembly Elections to turnout in large numbers & vote.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2017
उत्तर प्रदेश में आज आखिरी चरण का मतदान है। मेरा निवेदन है कि आप अपना कीमती वोट अवश्य दें। पहले मतदान, फिर जलपान!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2017
Uttar Pradesh has had hung Assembly for 14 years, but trends changed in 2007
Voters threw hung houses in the state for 14 years and that trend changed from 2007 when people decided to deliver a clear mandate. This time, with no clear wave in favour of any party and each of the key players claiming to get over 300 of the 403 seats at stake, party insiders say the outcome is unlikely to go in one direction.
Increasingly seen as the ‘bellwether’ for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the results will not only decide as to who will rule UP but show which way the wind is blowing ahead of the Lok Sabha elections two years hence.
Uttar Pradesh has had hung Assembly for 14 years, and trend changed in 2007
Voters threw hung Houses in the state for 14 years and that trend changed from 2007 when people decided to deliver a clear mandate. This time, with no clear wave in favour of any party and each of the key players claiming to get over 300 of the 403 seats at stake, party insiders say the outcome is unlikely to go in one direction.
Increasingly seen as the ‘bellwether’ for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the results will not only decide as to who will rule UP but show which way the wind is blowing ahead of the Lok Sabha elections two years hence.
Spectre of hung Assembly looms over UP
The iconic dialogue — picture abhi baaki hai mere dost — could well describe the current poll scenario in Uttar Pradesh where a hung Assembly is a possibility. Even before the election results are declared on March 11, party insiders do not discount chances of a fractured verdict after the seven phases of polling that will come to an end today in the absence of any wave.
After all the key players talked about notching up 300 plus of the 403 seats, talks of a hung house suddenly gained momentum in the last phases of polling with Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself flagging the possibility of a hung assembly in the state. To win 202 or 50 percent seats this year, a party will need to get 35 percent of the vote share. Five years ago, the Samajwadi Party had needed just 29 percent of the vote share to win 226 seats.
Mayawati’s BSP had won only 80 seats with 26 percent votes. The two regional heavyweights saw a steep fall two years later, with the BJP and its ally Apna Dal sweeping the 2014 general election, winning 73 of UP’s 80 seats with 42 per cent of the vote share.
The BJP can afford to lose 7 percent of its vote share from 2014 to still win this year, while SP-Congress must gain 6 percent to reach 35 percent, and BSP will have to stretch about 15 percent to win.
Over 13 percent voting till 10 AM in last phase of UP polls
Over 13 per cent votes were polled in the first three hours of the seventh and last phase of UP elections. Three Naxal-affected districts of Sonbhadra, Mirzapur and Chandauli, along with the five Assembly segments under Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, will be in prime focus.
PTI
Veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi casts his vote from Varanasi North constituency
BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi casts his vote at booth number 76 of Varanasi North. pic.twitter.com/KSQtloFFfn
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 8, 2017
BSP banking on Muktar Ansari’s appeal
The BSP is banking heavily on the appeal of Mukhtar Ansari and his family. The region is home to hundreds of thousands of weavers, many of whom are Muslims. BSP chief Mayawati speaks of a groundswell in her party’s favour.
“People have tried and tested both Narendra Modi and Akhilesh Yadav and there is nothing but disappointment. Purvanchal, like other parts of the state, is looking to the BSP for good governance,” the Dalit leader told IANS.
Most of SP’s powerful leaders were expelled in Purvanchal region
The Samajwadi Party expelled most of its powerful Purvanchal leaders after an internal party feud involving Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his estranged uncle Shivpal Singh. Senior cabinet minister and Akhilesh Yadav aide Rajendra Chowdhary said the region has always stood by the Samajwadi Party.
Litmus test for BJP stalwarts in Purvanchal
In Purvanchal, poverty is a dominant theme. In his speeches, Modi spoke a lot on joblessness and poverty. The BJP did not win even a single seat in five of the districts in 2012. The last phase of election is a litmus test for BJP stalwarts.
Former chief minister and current Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh comes from Chandauli. Mahendranath Pandey, an MP, is a member in the Modi government. Ghazipur MP Manoj Sinha is Minister of State for Railways. Apna Dal leader Anupriya Patel, a BJP ally, has a lot at stake too. Her parliamentary constituency Mirzapur goes to polls on Wednesday. BJP leader Vijay Bahadur Pathak says the party was confident of doing “exceedingly well” in Purvanchal. “We have performed beyond our expectations in the last six phases. We are sure of getting maximum seats in the final phase,” Pathak told IANS.
With 211 rallies in just 36 days, Akhilesh became the leader who addressd the most number of rallies in Uttar Pradesh. A highly-charged final phase of campaigning for the Uttar Pradesh polls culminated on Monday with shows of strength by the BJP, the Samajwadi Party-Congress combine and the Bahujan Samaj Party in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Varanasi constituency, where he camped for three days.
Around 40 seats spread over seven eastern districts, including five in Varanasi, go to the polls on Wednesday, bringing the curtains down on the two month-long exercise staggered over seven phases. Predictions aside and in the run-up to 11 March, analysis of the high-octane campaigning in Uttar Pradesh throws up some interesting trends. Number game aside, the tone and texture of the speeches delivered by the major players in Uttar Pradesh gives us an insight of what the political parties might be expecting as the verdict day closes in.
Read the full story hereOnus on Samajwadi Party, but lot at stake for BJP and BSP
Around 1.41 crore voters are eligible to take part in the balloting in the sprawling region that includes Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency. While the onus is on the ruling Samajwadi Party to retain the 24 of the 40 seats it won in 2012, a lot is also at stake for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Modi himself as the party swept the Poorvanchal in the 2014 Lok Sabha battle.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), trying hard to regain power in the country’s most populous state, has put in all its might to add to its 2012 tally of five seats. The Congress, now a Samajwadi ally, won three seats in 2012, the Quami Ekta Dal one and three independents too made it to the outgoing assembly.
10.43% voting recorded till 9 am
10.43% voting recorded till 9 am in the 7th phase of UP elections 2017. pic.twitter.com/06tRK9dir6
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 8, 2017
Three persons apprehended from Kanpur
Three persons have been apprehended from Kanpur and nearby area: DGP UP Javeed Ahmad #LucknowTerrorOp pic.twitter.com/qWx10ZJSbc
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 8, 2017
Prominent candidates of final phase
Prominent candidates who are in fray include former Cabinet minister Om Prakash, Parasnath Yadav, Ajay Rai, former MP Dhananjay Singh, Sigbatullah Ansari brother of Mukhtar Ansari and Seema Singh wife of jailed mafia Munna Bajrangi.
A total of 1.41 crore voters, including 64.76 lakh women, are eligible to exercise their franchise in 14,458 polling booths and 8,682 polling centres to decide fate of 585 candidates, including 51 women.
Three Naxal-affected districts of Sonbhadra, Mirzapur and Chandauli, along with the five Assembly segments under Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, will be in prime focus. — PTI
Visual from the room in Thakurganj where ISIS Khorasan module terrorist had locked himself, #LucknowTerrorOp lasted for nearly 10 hrs pic.twitter.com/B8KqvZhquO
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 8, 2017
Weapons recovered after Lucknow encounter
Thakurganj: Pistol, revolver, ammunition, knife recovered among other things from the killed ISIS Khorasan module terrorist #LucknowTerrorOp pic.twitter.com/Zek26wJAUz
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 8, 2017
EC prohibits exit polls in UP till 9 March
The Election Commission (EC) has prohibited exit polls for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections till 5.30 pm on 9 March following the death of the Samajwadi Party candidate for the Alapur seat, in the wake of which polling, originally scheduled for 27 February, has been pushed back to Thursday, an official said.
State Chief Electoral Officer T Venkatesh said on Monday that if any media organisation published or broadcast exit polls before the stipulated deadline it would be treated as violation of the Model Code of Conduct and strictly dealt with.
The earlier deadline of the exit polls was 30 minutes after the conclusion of the staggered seven-phase polls on 8 March.
Exit poll 5.31 pm from tomorrow.. https://t.co/eOyiTejAdF
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) March 8, 2017
Islamic State suspect gunned down in Lucknow after 11-hour operation
A suspected Islamic State operative was killed here in the wee hours of Wednesday after a 11-hour-long anti-terror operation conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Police’s Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) commandos. Many efforts to persuade the suspect, who was holed up in a house in Haji colony of Thakurganj area, to surrender went in vain, an official said.
After the initial exchange for fire, the ATS commandos lobbed chilly bombs inside the house to incapacitate him, but to no avail. Police teams bore a hole in the roof and blew up the back wall of the building to enter the house. Senior police officials were camping at the site to oversee the operation, which was also being monitored by the Union Home Ministry.
People cast their vote at polling booth 127 in Mohammadabad, Mukhtar Ansari's brother Sibakatullah contesting from the seat as BSP candidate pic.twitter.com/nZsQIXeGhf
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 8, 2017
People queue up at polling booth no. 68 in Varanasi North; BJP's Ravindra Jaiswal, BSP's Sujit Kumar Maurya contesting from the seat pic.twitter.com/RYZQtr4NNV
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 8, 2017
#TopStory Final phase polling to conclude assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Manipur covering 40 and 22 constituencies respectively. pic.twitter.com/kJmai5ed2R
— ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2017
#UPPolls2017: Voters queue up at polling booths 176,177,178 in Mirzapur to cast their vote in the last phase of Uttar Pradesh elections pic.twitter.com/ZfnHZPGBsh
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 8, 2017
40 seats in seven eastern districts
A highly-charged final phase of campaigning for the Uttar Pradesh polls culminated on Monday with the show of strength by the BJP, the SP-Congress combine and the BSP in PM Narendra Modi’s Varanasi constituency taking centre stage where he camped for three days.
Around 40 seats spread over seven eastern districts, including five in Varanasi, will go to polls on 8 March, bringing curtains down on the two month-long exercise staggered in seven phases.
As many as 8,682 polling stations with 14,458 polling booths have been set up.
Polling will continue till 5 pm in 37 constituencies, whereas in Robertsganj, Duddhi in Sonebhadra district and Chakia segment in Chandauli will end by 4 pm, an Election Commission official said.
In last phase, 1.41 crore are casting their votes
Over 1.41 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the seventh and last phase of the assembly elections, including 76.87 lakh men and 64.99 lakh women. A total of 706 voters are of the third gender.
8th and final phase: 535 candidates, including 51 women, in fray
Polling began in 40 Uttar Pradesh assembly segments at 7 am on Wednesday, officials said.
A total of 535 candidates, including 51 women, are in fray for these assembly seats spread across seven districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, known as Poorvanchal.
Dimple Yadav takes a jibe at Modi’s ‘karnama’ statement
Piyush Goyalji gaye press conference karne aur hotel ki bijli khud hi gol kardi, isko kaarnaama kehte hain: Dimple Yadav in Bhadohi pic.twitter.com/kwL2vX72Jo
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2017
BSP supremo Mayawati slams BJP
Inka sapna tha ki UP mein BJP purna bahumat ki sarkar banayegi aur phir isi ko 2019 Loksabha mudda bana ke desh bhar mein jaayegi: Mayawati pic.twitter.com/RctNq5ImKF
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2017
Do din pehle roadshow hua usse baat nahi bani, phir kal roadshow hua usse bhi baat nahi bani,aaj sun rahe hain Modiji pedal ja rahe hain:RG pic.twitter.com/OF4LAGQwTm
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2017
Rahul Gandhi takes a jibe at Modi’s Varanasi road shows
Banaras mein Modiji ki picture ka bar bar retake ho raha hai,4 din mein Modiji ne 4 baar retake liya magar baat nahi ban rahi: Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/SfahYDXzed
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2017
Modi slams SP govt for mafia raj
Targeting the SP government of poor law and order, Narendra Modi slammed Akhilesh Yadav of turning the police force into its personal fiefdom. Modi promised to bring back law and order and end mafia-raj in the state if voted to power.
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