Slow start of polling in fourth phase of UP Assembly Election

The fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election 2012 for 56 constituencies has been kicked off today at 7 a.m. with a sluggish polling note amid tight security arrangements.

Due to chilly and cloudy morning, most of the voters were remain in their homes that cost the polling speed. According to state Election Commission (EC) official, 22% percent polling has been exercised till 11 a.m.

However, EC is expecting that as the day progresses, the speed of voting will be increased. The polling will be end at 5 p.m.

Tight security arrangements have been deployed to ensure the smooth and fair polling, as in this forth phase, out of seven, as much as 103 candidates with criminal cases and 139 multi-millionaires are in the fray.

As many as 18,000 polling stations have been set up in 56 constituencies spread over 11 districts - Lucknow, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli , Chattrapati Shahuji Maharaj Nagar (Amethi), Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Banda, Chitrakoot, Fatehpur and Pratapgarh - to conduct the election conveniently.

A total 1.74 crore electorates can seal the fate of 967 candidates, including three ministers, 32 sitting MLAs and 12 former ministers.

The highlights of this fourth phase of election includes the constituency seats of Lucknow - which has been the bastion of Bhartiya Janta Party since after former Prime Minster Atal Bihari Vajpayee made Lucknow his political abode, constituency seats of Indian National Congress (INC) Secretary Rahul Gandhi's parliamentary constituency 'Amethi' and constituency seats of INC and UPA President Sonia Gandhi's parliamentary constituency 'Rae Bareli'.

The other heavyweights in this fourth phase of election are: Congress Legislative Party leader Pramod Tiwari from Rampur Khas seat in Pratapgarh district, Urban Development Minister Nakul Dubey from Bakshi ka Talab seat, Science and Technology Minister Abdul Mannan from Sandila seat, Chairman of Housing and Development Board Achche Lal Nishad from Tindwari seat, chairman of UP Agro Brijmohan Singh Kushwaha from Baberu seat, Senior BJP leader and MP Lalji Tandon's son, Ashutosh Tandon alias Gopalji (who is making his debut) from Lucknow north seat, Sitting BSP MLA and son of former minister Naresh Agarwal, Nitin Agarwal, from Hardoi Sadar seat on Samajwadi Party's ticket, and sitting MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya from Kunda seat.

Veer Singh, son of slain dacoit Daddua, is also contesting for Karvi seat in Chitrakoot as SP nominee while working for empowerment of women in Bundelkhand region and leader of Gulabi gang, Sampat Pal, is trying his luck on Congress party's ticket.

Last time Bahujan Samaj Party, the incumbent party in state had secured the highest numbers of seats (25) with mere 42% turn out in 2007 assembly election. SP was on the second position by bagging 14 seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress had bagged seven seats each. Two seats had gone to independents, while two new constituencies came up on account of delimitation of seats.

The last (7^th) phase of election will be held on March 03 while counting of voting will be held on March 06, 2012.