Crucial Phase-IV polling in UP polls on Apr 23

Lucknow, Apr 22: Unprecedented security arrangements have been made for the tomorrow's crucial Phase-IV election in Uttar Pradesh, covering 57 assembly seats spread across 10 districts.

International border with Nepal in Kheri, Bahraich, Sravasti, Sidharthnagar and Balrampur has been sealed while contingents of the Central Pra Military Forces(CPMF) were holding ' Flag Marches'in all the 57 constituencies to instill confidence among the voters.

State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anuj Kumar Bishnoi said here that all preparation for smooth conduct of the elections has been completed and polling personnel, along with the central forces, have started reaching the polling booths.

He said the polling will begin at 0700 hrs and will continue till 1700 hrs tomorrow. A total of 1.57 crore voters, 85.2 lakh male and 72.1 lakh female, are eligible to exercise their right to franchise in 15,700 polling booths, he added.

The CEO said about 18,100 electronic Voting Machines(EVMs) will also be used in the phase.

Election Commission has deployed several additional central observers while a deputy election commissioner will monitor the polling on a helicopter.

More than 660 companies of central forces along with 60,000 state police have been deployed in the phase to man the polling booths and to maintain law and order during the polling.

State principal secretary (Home) K Chandramauli said here that ten IG and DIG level officials have been deputed in the ten districts to monitor the development of security forces.

Prominent candidates whose fate will be decided in Phase-IV include bureaucrat-turned-politician P L Punia from Fatehpur, UP assembly speaker Mata Prasad Pandey (Itwa), UP minister Arvind Singh Gope (Haidergarh) and Reshma Arif, wife of the former Congress leader Arif Mohammad Khan from Bhariach.

One-day chief minister of UP Jagdambika Pal (Basti), Dr Waqar Ahmad Shah (Bahriach), who locked horns with senior Samajwadi Party leader Beni Prasad Verma, resulting into the latter declaring he would field his separate candidates, Gita Singh (Balrampur), the wife of UP's former Director General of Police (DGP) Yashpal Singh, and Beni Prasad's son Rakesh Verma (Masauli and Dariyabad), are also in the fray.

The fourth phase of polling will be crucial for the SP, as the influence of rebel party leader Beni Prasad Verma will be tested in the districts like Barabanki and Bhariach. Mr Verma has also floated a new political outfit ' Samajwadi Kranti Dal(SKD)' just before the polls.

The caste base in the phase will consist of Kurmi in the region of Kheri, Sitapur, Barabanki and Bhariach where the SP was very strong in the previous elections.

Due to strong Kurmi population in this phase, Apna Dal, the pre-poll alliance partner of BJP, has announced candidates in more than 10 seats.

Altogether 922 candidates, including 63 women, are in fray for the fourth phase poll and criminal cases are pending again 116 contestants. In nine constituencies of Phase-IV there are more than four candidates facing criminal cases. These constitutuencies are Naugarh, Nighasan, Balrampur, Mehndawal, Biswan, Gainsari, Shoratgarh, Itwa and Domariaganj. In this phase, 45 candidates have declared assets of more than Rs one crore.

Of the total candidates, 255 are from the national and state recognised parties, 252 from smaller parties and the other 415 are independents.

In the 2002 assembly polls, the ruling SP won a maximum 31 seats out of the 57 at stake in Phase-IV while the BJP won 14, BSP nine, Congress two and other one.

Campaigning started on a dull note for this phase, but picked up in the later stages with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul pitching in for the Congress candidates while the BJP charge was led by party president Rajnath Singh, former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani along and several other leaders.

Ruling SP president and Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav is spearheading the electioneering by addressing 8 to 10 election meetings daily, while BSP supremo Mayawati is making all out efforts to consolidate her position.

The districts going to poll in the phase are Kheri, Sitapur, Barabanki, Bahriach, Shrawasti, Balrampur, Gonda,Basti, Sidharthnagar and Santkabirnagar.

The constituencies are: Mohamdi(SC), Utraula,Haiderabad, Sadullah Nagar, Aila(SC), Mankapur(SC), Lakhimpur, Mujehna, Srinagar, Gonda, Nighasan, Katra zar, Dhaurehra, Colonelganj, Behta, Dixir(SC), Biswan, Arraiya, Mahmoodabad, Captainganj, Sidhauli (SC), Nagar East(SC), Laharpur, Basti, Sitapur, Ramnagar, Hargaon(SC), Domariaganj, Misrikh, Itwa, Machhrehta(SC), Shohratgarh, Rudauli, Naugarh, Dariyabad, Bansi, Siddhaur(SC), Khesraha, Haidergarh, Menhdawal, Masauli, Khalilabad(SC), Nawabganj, Hainsarbazar (SC), Fatehpur (SC), Ramnagar, Kaiserganj, Fakharpur, Mahsi, Nanpara, Charda(SC), Bhinga,Bahraich, Ikauna(SC), Gainsari,Tulsipur and Balrampur.

UNI

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