UP: Tight security in naxal belt for Phase-VI polls

Lucknow, May 2: Unprecendent security arrangements, particularly in the naxal-affected districts, have been made for the crucial sixth phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls for 52 constituencies spread in nine districts, tomorrow.

Bypoll for Mirzapur and Robertsganj Lok Sabha seats will also be held along with the sixth phase polling.

Inter-state borders with Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh have been sealed off and flag marches are underway in all the constituencies.

The Commission has identified 16 assembly constituencies as sensitive and chalked out an intensive plan whereby the electors in all these constituencies would be provided adequate security cover so that voting could take place in a free and fair atmosphere.

The Election Commission has requisitioned the services of Army's elite para commandos to deal with the naxal threat during the phase VI.

The para commandos, to be stationed at Varanasi, will carry out aerial surveillance in the naxal-effected districts of Sonebhadra, Mirzapur and Chandauli. ''They will rush to the site of the exigency using a helicopter,'' said state additional chief electoral officer (CEO) Mritunjay Narain.

This is perhaps for the first time in the history of the state when Army commandos are being used to tackle naxalites during elections.

About 500 polling booths of these three naxal affected districts would have exclusive deployment of central para military forces (CPMF) and each polling party will be escorted by CPMF personnel.

Mine detecting parties, also called road opening parties (ROP), will accompany the polling parties to avert any mishap.

Besides, the CPMF have started carrying out 'flag march' in the naxalite areas and patrolling has been intensified.

DIG (Varanasi range) R P Singh said army helicopter has been sought following apprehensions that naxals might carry out attacks on polling personnel. ''The naxals are frustrated following the killings of their top leaders,'' he added.

On the other hand, a couple of banned naxalite outfits have distributed pamphlets in the three districts threatening the voters not to participate in the democratic process.

State Principal secretary (Home) K Chandramauli said patrolling on boats have started on Karmnasha and Sone rivers while 680 villages under 23 police stations of Chandauli and Sonebhadra districts have been deployed with additional forces following apprehension of naxal attack.

Prominent candidates whose fate will be decided in Phase-VI polling are: former UP assembly speaker and state BJP president Keshri Nath Tripathi and Congress women wing president Rita Bahuguna Joshi(both from Allahabad-south), state minister Ujjawal Raman Singh (Karchana), Puja Pal, widow of slain BSP MLA Raju Pal( Allahabad west), BJP MLA Alka Rai and Siobghuullah Ansari, brother of mafia turned politician Mukhtar Ansari (both from Mohammadabad), BJP MLA Shyamdeo Raichoudhury (Varanasi south), Apna Dal supremo Sone Lal Patel( Soraon and Kolasla) and mafia-turned-politician and JD(U) candidate Dhanjay Singh (Rari).

Altogether 1.63 crore voters -- 88.7 lakh men and 75.2 lakh women -- are elegible to vote in the election in over 15,500 polling booths spread out in nine districts. A total of 17,800 Electronic Voting machines (EVMs) will be used for the polling. Fate of 785 candidates will be at stake in Phase-VI polling, with 234 of the national and state parties, 263 of the registered parties and rest are independents. There are also 50 women in the fray.

A total of 11 candidates each are in the fray for the Robertganj and Mirzapur Parliamentary by-election. By-elections for both the LS seat was necessitated following disqualification of the BSP MPs involved in the cash-for-querry scam.

The Soron Assembly constituency will witness the presence of maximum of 25 contestants, while reserved constituency of Meja(SC) will have the minimum number of nine candidates.

The Chiraigaon assembly constituency will have the largest number of 4,11,069 voters, while the Varanasi south assembly constituency, the smallest ward will have 2,28,983 voters.

Though campaigning was a low key affair, all the political parties have thrown in their weight to woo the voters on caste and communal lines.

Electioneering, which witnessed a lacklustre spree in the first four phases, however, picked up from phase-V with several top political leaders and cinestars canvassing for the respective party candidates.

In the 2002 assembly polls, the ruling SP had won 20 seats out of the 52 at stake, followed by BSP 15, BJP 11, Apna Dal 3, CPI(M), Congress and Independent one each.

The districts going to polls in the phase are: Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Jaunpur, Santrividasnagar, Sonebhadra, Mirzapur, Allahabad and Kaushambi.

The assembly seats are: Zahoorabad, Majhwa, Mohammadabad, Mirzapur, Dildarnagar, Chhanvey (SC), Zamania, Meja (SC), Ghazipur, Karchhana, Jakhania (SC), Bara, Sadat (SC), Jhusi, Saidpur, Handia, Dhanapur, Pratappur, Chandauli (SC), Soraon, Chakia (SC), Nawabganj, Mughalsarai, Allahabad North, Varanasi Cantonment, Allahabad South, Varanasi South Allahabad West, Varanasi North, Chail (SC), Chiraigaon, Manjhanpur (SC), Kolasla, Sirathu (SC), Gangapur, Aurai, Gyanpur, Bhadohi (SC), Barsathi, Mariahu, Kerakat (SC), Bayalsi, Jaunpur, Rari, Shahganj (SC), Khutahan, Garwara, Machhlishahr, Dudhi (SC), Robertsganj (SC), Rajgarh and Chunar.

UNI