Nominations for fourth phase begin in Uttar Pradesh
January 25th, 2012 - 9:12 pm ICT by IANSLucknow, Jan 25 (IANS) The filing of nominations for the fourth phase of assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh began Wednesday.
The fourth phase, which would cover 56 of the state’s 403 assembly constituencies, spread across Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Farrukhabad, Hardoi, Unnao, Prataprarh, Kannauj, Banda, Chitrakoot and Fatehpur districts, would determine the fate of 32 sitting legislators, three ministers and a dozen former ministers.
More than 1.72 crore voters are expected to cast their votes at 18,209 polling booths at 12,821 polling stations where 19,029 electronic voting machines would be used Feb 19.
Several important leaders of different political parties are expected to file their nominations.
Prominent among them are Uttar Pradesh Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who is a candidate from Lucknow Cantt constituency and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) vice president Kalraj Misra, who is in the fray from Lucknow East constituency. Significantly, this is the first direct election that this top BJP leader will ever be contesting.
Besides, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari is all set to once again file his nomination from Rampur Khas in Pratapgarh district — a seat he has been wining at successive elections over the past three decades.
Two heavyweights widely known for their muscle power — Raghuraj Pratap Singh, alias Raja Bhaiya, and one-time Congress rebel Akhilesh Singh — are also in the electoral race from Kunda in Pratapgarh and Rae Bareli assembly seats as independents. Slain dreaded dacoit Dadua’s son Veer Singh would be contesting as a Samajwadi Party nominee from Karvi seat in Chitrakoot district.
The fate of Louis Khurshid, wife of union Law Minister Salman Khurshid, would also be determined during this phase in Farrukhabad.
Gulabi Gang leader Sampat Pal, who has earned wide recognition for providing empowerment to large population of tribal women in Uttar Pradesh’s most backward Bundelkhand region, would also be contesting in this phase as a Congress nominee from Chiitrakoot.
Among the Uttar Pradesh ministers in the fray are Nakul Dubey (urban development) and Anbul Manan (science and technology).
The sons of two prominent Uttar Pradesh politicians will also making their debut into electoral politics during this phase.
They are BJP leader and Lucknow MP Lalji Tandon’s son Ahustosh Tandon, who is BJP nominee for the Lucknow North seat, and former minister and party hopper Naresh Agrawal’s son Nitin Agrawal, who is now the Samajwadi Party candidate for Hardoi Sadar constituency.
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- 57 percent turnout estimated in UP poll's fourth phase (Evening Lead) - Feb 19, 2012
- Peaceful polling in UP, young Lucknow voters queue up (Third Lead) - Feb 19, 2012
- Voting picks up in UP after slow start (Second Lead) - Feb 19, 2012
- Brisk voting in fourth round of UP elections (Afternoon Lead) - Feb 19, 2012
- On day of love, warring leaders in battleground UP - Feb 14, 2012
- Congress releases first list for Uttar Pradesh polls - Aug 22, 2011
- UP result deeply disappointing: Khurshid - Mar 06, 2012
- Gandhi charisma fading? Congress humbled in Rae Bareli, Amethi - Mar 06, 2012
- UP polls' fourth phase also sees high turnout, peaceful balloting (Night Lead) - Feb 19, 2012
- UP set for hung house, SP on top, BSP out (Third Lead) - Mar 06, 2012
- Louise Khurshid slips to sixth position in Farrukhabad - Mar 06, 2012
- Sonia, Priyanka descend on Rae Bareli, slam Mayawati (Third Lead) - Feb 15, 2012
- Congress in quota controversy again (Lead) - Feb 16, 2012
- Sonia, Priyanka descend on Rae Bareli, flay Mayawati (Second Lead) - Feb 14, 2012
Tags: assembly constituencies, assembly seats, bhaiya, bjp leader, bundelkhand, chitrakoot, congress leader, east constituency, electoral race, electronic voting machines, fourth phase, hardoi, kannauj, polling booths, pratap singh, rae bareli, Samajwadi Party, time congress, top bjp, union law minister