Campaigning for the first phase of assembly polls for 58 seats of western Uttar Pradesh has reached its peak with four major political outfits – the BJP, SP-RLD, BSP and Congress -- intensifying their campaign.
In most of the seats, there is a triangular contest between the BJP, SP-RLD combine and BSP but in some seats, the Congress too is putting up a fight. Campaigning in these 58 seats spread across 11 districts will end on Tuesday evening where polling is scheduled on February 10 between 7 am and 6 pm.
With the Election Commission of India (ECI) restricting public rallies, road shows and other common means of campaigning due to the pandemic, political leaders have opted for virtual rallies, road shows and door-to-door electioneering in this phase.
The first phase will cover the Jat dominant belt of western UP, while Dalits, minorities and other Backward Classes like Gujjar, Saini and others will decide the fate of 623 candidates. Among the candidates around 40 per cent are crorepatis.
In the 2017 assembly elections, the BJP had won 53 of these 58 seats while the SP and BSP had won two seats each and RLD one. But this time, the BJP is up against a formidable challenge as the SP-RLD alliance can make a heavy dent in their vote bank. Farmers’ agitation against the three farm laws and other issues related to cane farmers, law and order and development are the major planks for all political parties in this phase.
The ruling BJP has been the front runner in the campaigning in this phase. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held several virtual chaupals to address the voters while a battery of leaders led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addressed numerous public meetings in these 58 assembly constituencies. The ruling party has been highlighting law and order, development, and benefits of government schemes to the farmers.
On the other hand, arch rival SP-RLD combine of Akhilesh Yadav and Jayant Chaudhury has been relying on daily joint press conferences by raking up the failures of the BJP government and announcing sops to the voters.
On her part, BSP president Mayawati held a divisional level public meeting in Agra on February 2 while her deputy Satish Chandra Mishra too has been holding small meetings.
Congress general secretary and UP in-charge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra held road shows and door-to-door campaigning in select pockets, where Congress candidates have a chance to win.
Aam Aadmi Party leaders too are campaigning in the National Capital Region where they have fielded candidates.
Not to be left behind, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi too has been campaigning in the minority-dominated pockets where the party has fielded candidates.
The districts where polling will be held in the first phase are Shamli, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Meerut, Hapur, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Mathura, Agra and Aligarh. The Assembly seats going to polls in this phase are Kairana, Thana Bhawan, Shamli, Budhana, Charthwal, Purqazi (SC), Muzaffarnagar Khatauli, Meerapur,Siwalkhas, Sardhana, Hastinapur (SC), Kithore, Meerut Cantonment, Meerut, Meerut South, Chhaprauli, Baraut, Baghpat, Loni, Muradnagar, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Modinagar, Dhaulana, Hapur (SC), Garhmukteshwar, Noida, Dadri, Jewar, Sikandrabad, Bulandshahr, Syana, Anupshahar, Debai, Shikarpur, Khurja (SC), Kair (SC), Barauli, Atrauli, Chharra, Koil, Aligarh, Iglas (SC), Chhata, Manth, Govardhan, Mathura, Baldev (SC), Etmadpur, Agra Cantonment (SC), Agra South, Agra North, Agra Rural (SC), Fatehpur Sikri, Kheragarh, Fatehabad and Bah.