Lucknow, Feb 9: Elaborate security including deployment of central forces have been made for the first phase of assembly polls to be held in western Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. Flag marches by central forces were been held in the sensitive areas to instill confidence among the voters. The first phase of polls will be held in 58 seats covering 11 districts of western region where campaigning came to an end on Tuesday evening at 1800 hrs.
The polling will be held between 0700 hrs to 1800 hrs when fate of 623 candidates would be decided by the voters which includes nine state ministers. The ministers who would be contesting during this phase include Srikant Sharma (Mathura), Atul Garg(Ghaziabad), Suresh Rana (Thana Bhawan), Kapil Deo Agarwal(Muzaffarnagar),Sandeep Singh( Atrauli), Choudhury Laxminarain(Chhatta), Anil Sharma (Sikharpur), GS Dharmesh ( Agra Cantt) and Dinesh Khatik(Hastinapur).
Prominent seats where nail biting contest is expected duringh this phase are Kairana, Thana Bhawan, Sardhana, Chaprauli, Charthawal, Agra Rural, Loni, Modi Nagar,Mathura and Noida. In most of the seats there is a triangular contest between BJP, SP-RLD and BSP but in some seats Congress too is putting up a fight. Campaigning in these 58 seats had reached its crescendo and all political parties left no stone unturned to woo the voters. BJP and SP, who are being seen as the main contenders for grabbing power released their poll manifesto on Tuesday. With Election Commission of India(ECI) restricting public rallies, road shows and other common means of campaigning this time due to the pandemic, political leaders opted for virtual rallies, road shows and door to door electioneering during this phase. The first phase will cover the Jat dominated belt of western UP, where other significant communities include Dalits, Muslims, Gujjars, Sainis etc. Fate of 623 candidates out of whom 25 per cent are having a criminal background would be decided during this phase.
Among the candidates around 40 per cent are crorepatis. In 2017 elections, BJP had won 53 seats out of the 58 assembly segments while SP and BSP won two each and RLD one. But this time, BJP is facing a big challenge to repeat its 2017 feat as SP-RLD combination could dent their vote bank. Farmer agitation against the three farm laws and other matters related to cane farmers besides law and order and development would be the main issues for all political parties during this phase. Meanwhile ECI has said that all preparation for smooth conduct of polling on February 10 is in place and central forces have been deployed in the sensitive areas and booths for maintaining law and order.
State chief Electoral officer (CEO) Ajay Kumar Shukla said here on Wednesday that polling parties have started leaving for their respective booths from this morning onwards. He said Covid regulations would be enforced in all the booths. Over 2 lakh strong security forces would be engaged in the elections including over 200 companies of central forces. Special security observers have been deployed to monitor the polling process. ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said security has been tightened in the poll bound assembly segment in phase one. 2,27,83,739 voters including 1,04,51,053 females will cast their votes in 25,849 polling booths.
The districts where first phase of polling will be held are Shamli, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Meerut ,Hapur, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Mathura, Agra and Aligarh. The assembly seats are: Kairana, Thana Bhawan, Shamli, Budhana, Charthwal, Purqazi(SC), Muzaffarnagar Khatauli, Meerapur,Siwalkhas, Sardhana, Hastinapur(SC), Kithore, Meerut Cantt, Meerut, Meerut south, Chhaprauli, Baraut, Bagpat, Loni, Muradnagar, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Modinagar, Dhaulana, Hapur(SC), Garhmukteshwar ,Noida, Dadri, Jevar , Sikandrabad, Bulandshahar, Syana, Anupshahar, Debai, Shikarpur, Khurja(SC),Kair(SC), Barauli ,Atrauli ,Chharra, Koil,Aligarh, Iglas(SC), Chhata, Mant ,Govardhan, Mathura, Baldev(SC), Etmadpur,Agra Cantt(SC), Agra south, Agra north, Agra rural(SC), Fatehpur Sikri, Kheragarh, Fatehabad and Bah.
