Interesting contest on cards in fourth phase UP poll

Lucknow, Apr 19 (UNI)Once much-in-the-news bureaucrat P L Punia, Uttar Pradesh asembly speaker Mata Prasad Pandey, UP minister Arvind Singh Gope and Reshma Arif, wife of the former Congress leader Arif Mohammad Khan, are among the prominent candidates in the fray in the fourth phase assembly polls on April 23.

One-day chief minister of UP Jagdambika Pal,Dr Wakar Ahmad Shah, who locked horns with senior Samajwadi Party leader Beni Prasad Verma resulting into the latter declaring to field his separate candidates, Gita Singh, wife of UP's former Director General of Police (DGP) Yashpal Singh, Rakesh Verma, son of Beni are also in the fray to make this phase more interesting and speculative.

P L Punia, who remained in the news for being principal secretary to then then chief minister Mayawati thrice during her all three terms, had retired from the IAS in January, 2005 before joining the Congress in September, 2006. Parting ways with the BSP came in as a suprise as Mr Punia was also one of the accused along with Mayawati in Taj Heritage Corridor case.

The former bureacrat would be contesting from Fatehupr (reserved) seat in Barabanki district as his maiden foray into the politics.

Mata Prasad Pandey has at stake his seat from Itwa from where he is seeking his fourth journey to the state assembly.

Jagdambika Pal is also in the run for his fourth victory from Basti assembly seat while Dr Shah is pitted against India Justice Party(IJP) candidate Reshma Arif. Beni Prasad Yadav's son and former UP minister Rakesh Verma is in the fray from Masauli and Dariyabad seats on Udit Raj-led IJP ticket.

Gope is the SP candidate from Haidergarh seat which had been represented by BJP's national prsident Rajnath Singh. The sitting MLA Gita Singh is in the fray from Balrampur as SP candidate.

UNI