After a slow start, polling for the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections covering 56 seats in 11 districts today picked up with about 25% votes being cast till noon.
This phase of the seven-part polling would test the fate of several stalwarts and heavyweights, including three ministers, 32 sitting MLAs, 12 former ministers, national vice-president of BJP Kalraj Mishra and Congress state president Rita Bahuguna Joshi.
"Polling for the fourth phase covering 11 districts started at 7 AM amidst tight security arrangements and 25% votes were cast till about noon," an election official said. Polling has been peaceful so far, he said.
A 23% voter turnout was recorded in Chattrapati Shahuji Maharaj Nagar district, bastion of Gandhi family.
A total of more than 1.74 crore voters would seal the fate of 967 candidates in the polling being held in Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Farukkhabad, CSM Nagar, Kannauj, Banda, Chitrakoot, Fatehpur and Pratapgarh.
Stakes are high for ruling BSP, Congress, SP and BJP in the no-holds-barred fight for the 403 assembly seats. The fourth phase has 103 candidates with criminal cases pending against them. There are also 139 'crorepatis' in the contest.
Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha said that polling was being held at 18,608 polling booths at 12,821 centres. A total 3,393 of polling booths have been identified as sensitive and 3,623 as hyper-sensitive, he said.
In this phase, Kalraj Mishra, who is a Rajya Sabha member, is making his debut in electoral politics from Lucknow East seat, whereas Rita Bahuguna Joshi is in fray from Lucknow Cantonment seat.
The fourth phase would also test the luck of Louis Khurshid, wife of Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid from Farukkhabad Sadar constituency.
Congress Legislative Party leader Pramod Tiwari is seeking a re-run from his traditional Rampur Khas seat in Pratapgarh district.
While Urban Development Minister Nakul Dubey has shifted to Bakshi ka Talab seat, Science and Technology Minister Abdul Mannan is seeking re-election from Sandila seat.