First phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections to begin Saturday, to cover 73 constituencies

PM Modi (courtesy: PTI), BSP supremo Mayawati (courtesy: PTI), Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav (RSTV)

Uttar Pradesh: The much awaited battle for Chief Ministerial seat in Uttar Pradesh is set to kick-start on Saturday, with polling in the first phase. The first phase of voting is set to cover 73 constituencies and 15 districts. In the phase 1 of elections, the major battle is between 839 candidates from Bhartiya Janta Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, allies Congress and Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal. It is estimated, that around 2.6 crore people would cast their votes tomorrow, out of which over one crore are women, which is a considered as a big number. Special arrangements have been made with deployment of paramilitary forces in areas like Muzaffarnagar, which hold a violent history. Also, CCTV cameras have been placed in around 600 important polling centres, to ensure the polling takes place without disruption and in a fair and smooth manner. Among the 73 constituencies among which are some very important one’s like Shamli, Muzaffarnagar and Baghpath which will go to poll, the largest one is Sahibabad. The Uttar Pradesh election is set to be a litmus test for major parties, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi who swept the state in terms of seats during the general elections. The polls would also be a test for Mayawati, who has left no stone unturned to get the Muslim dominated areas in her support. The polls would also be a report card for the freshly made Congress- SP alliances and of its young leaders Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi who have together tried to woo the voters via tall promises and road shows. In the first phase, the prominent seats which have attracted attention, include Noida from where Pankaj Singh, son of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is contesting; Mathura where senior Congress leader Pradip Mathur is locked in a direct battle with Shrikant Sharma, the national spokesman of the BJP and Sardhana where BJP’s Sangeet Som is challenged by SP’s Atul Pradhan. Kairana, Thana Bhawan and Sikandarabad are other high-profile seats. Here are six heavyweight candidates to watch out for in the first phase of UP elections: 

1. Pankaj Singh (BJP): In Noida, BJP’s Pankaj Singh, son of union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, locked in a triangular contest with candidates of the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party. The election is vital for Pankaj Singh, 38, as he is making his debut in an assembly poll.

 

2. Sangeet Som (BJP): Eyes will also be on the Sardhana seat in Meerut here BJP has yet again put faith in Muzaffarnagar riot accused MLA Sangeet Singh Som. Som has been challenged by UP CM Akhilesh Yadav’s confidant SP Candidate Atul Chauhan and BSP’s Hafiz Yakoob.

 

3. Suresh Rana (BJP): Controversial BJP MLA and Muzaffarnagar riots accused Suresh Rana will be contesting from Thana Bhuwan seat. SP fielded Lucknow University Professor Sudhir Pawar against Rana while BSP opted for a Muslim face Abdul Waris Khan from this seat. Rana was recently booked for hate speech over his remarks that curfew will be imposed in Kairana if he is elected again.

 

4. Pradeep Mathur (Congress), Srikant Sharma (BJP): Another high profile contest will be on the Mathura seat where Incumbent Congress MLA, Pradeep Mathur, has been challenged by BJP national spokesperson Srikant Sharma. Mathur has been winning the Mathura seat for past three terms.

 

5. Laxmikant Bajpai (BJP): Former state BJP president and sitting MLA Laxmikant Bajpai is also trying his luck from Meerut city seat to make a hat trick. Bajpayi is being challenged in a triangular contest by SP-Congress combine’s Rafiq Ansari and BSP’s Pankaj Jolly.

 

6. Rahul Yadav (SP): Rahul Yadav, son- in-law of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav is contesting on SP ticket from Sikandrabad seat in Bulandshaher district. Rahul is married to Prasad’s fourth daughter Ragini and is the son of Congress leader Jitendra Yadav, a former SP MLA.