UP Polls: Campaign for phase-3 to end tomorrow

In the 2012 Assembly polls, SP had won 55 of these 69 seats, while BSP, BJP and Congress secured just 6, 5 and 2 respectively.

Lucknow, Feb 16: Curtains will come down on Friday on the hectic campaign in 69 Assembly seats spread over 12 districts of Uttar Pradesh that will go to polls in the third phase on February 19.

The districts are Farrukhabad, Hardoi, Kannauj, Mainpuri, Etawah, Auraiya, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur, Unnao, Lucknow, Barabanki and Sitapur. In the 2012 Assembly polls, SP had won 55 of these 69 seats, while BSP, BJP and Congress secured just 6, 5 and 2 respectively. One seat went to an Independent.

On the campaign trail, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought to puncture chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's "kaam bolta hai" slogan by stating it was the SP leader's "karnama" (misdeed) which spoke for him. While, Akhilesh questioned him on "acchey din" promise claiming that it was elusive.

He said that after the turnout trend of first two phases, the blood pressure of opposition has shot up. In a bid to woo minority voters, he also tried to attack BSP supremo Mayawati stating, "She cannot be trusted. She can join hands with BJP again to form next government."

Mayawati, however, clarified in her speeches that "she will prefer to sit in the opposition instead of joining hand with anyone" while urging minority voters to back her party. After skipping constituencies falling in the first two phases, SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav campaigned for brother Shivpal Singh and daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav, but preferred not to seek votes for others. He is said to be perturbed over SP forming a coalition with Congress.

PTI