Elaborate security arrangements are in place for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh in which over 2.38 crore voters in 13 politically crucial constituencies of the state will exercise their franchise on Monday.
Around 1.5 lakh security personnel have been deployed to conduct the polls in a free and fair atmosphere.
Over 200 companies of central forces have been deployed to maintain order during polling and on Sunday, the security forces took out flag marches in the sensitive areas to instill confidence among the voters.
The 13 constituencies going to polls in the fourth phase include Shahjahanpur, Kheri, Hardoi, Mishrikh, Unnao, Farrukhabad, Etawah, Kannauj, Kanpur, Akbarpur, Jalaun, Jhansi and Hamirpur Except for Kannauj, the rest 12 seats are currently held by the BJP. A total of 152 candidates are in the fray in these 13 constituencies.
Along with the Lok Sabha poll, polling will also be held for the by-election to Nighasan assembly seat in Lakhimpur Kheri on Monday. The bypoll has been necessitated due to the death of sitting BJP MLA Ram Kumar Verma. There are seven candidates in the fray for the bypoll.
In the polling for this phase, 2,38,88,367 voters — 1,29,75,125 males, 1,09,12,012 females and 1,230 of the third gender — will exercise their franchise in 27,513 polling booths.
The fourth phase polling in UP will decide the fate of SP candidate Dimple Yadav who is the wife of SP president Akhilesh Yadav in Kannauj, former Union ministers and Congress candidate Salman Khurshid in Farrukhabad and Sriprakash Jaiswal in Kanpur and senior Congress leader Anu Tandon, who is pitted against BJP’s Sakshi Maharaj in Unnao.
UP’s chief electoral officer L Venkatshwarlu said here on Sunday that all preparation for smooth conduct of polling had been completed. He said that over one lakh polling personnel had been despatched to their respective booths in these 13 constituencies.
“We have asked the district officials to to make arrangements for drinking water, shed and other basic amenities for the voters in all the polling booths,“ the CEO said .
In most of the constituencies there is a direct fight between the BSP-SP alliance and the BJP, but Congress is in the fight in a couple of seats like Kanpur, Unnao, Farrukhabad and Kheri.
The highest number of 15 candidates are in the fray in Kheri, followed by 14 each in Shahjahanpur, Kanpur, Akbarpur and Hamirpur, 13 each in Mishrikh and Etawah, 11 each in Hardoi and Jhansi, 10 in Kannauj, nine each in Unnao and Farrukhabad and five in Jalaun.
The SP-BSP alliance has fielded six BSP and seven SP candidates. While the BSP is contesting from Shahjahanpur (SC), Misrikh (SC), Farrukhabad, Akbarpur, Jalaun (SC) and Hamirpur, the SP has fielded candidates from Kheri, Hardoi (SC), Unnao, Etawah, Kannauj, Kanpur and Jhansi.
The Congress has fielded candidates from 12 parliamentary constituencies. It is not in the fray from Kannauj.
The BJP is contestig all these seats.