Hectic campaign for 6th phase of UP polls ends

Campaign for the sixth and penultimate phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly polls in 68 seats spread over 13 districts, including Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida), came to an end today.

The electioneering saw leaders of all political parties including Congress, SP, BSP, BJP and RLD working hard to woo voters in the area popularly known as 'Jat land'.

"The polling will be be held on February 28," joint chief electoral officer Anita Meshram said.

She said the districts where polling would be held on Tuesday are Saharanpur, Prabuddha Nagar, Meerut, Baghpath, Ghaziabad, Panchsheel Nagar, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Muzaffarnagar, Mathura, Mahamayanagar and Agra.

"More than 2.17 crore voters are expected to cast their votes at 22,137 polling centres," she said.

A total 1,103 candidates, including 1,017 male and 86 female, are in the fray in this phase.

The JCEO said that to ensure free and fair elections adequate force, including central forces, would be deployed.

This phase would decide the popularity of Congress' alliance with Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) which has its stronghold in the western parts of the state.

It would also decide the fate of youth face of RLD Jayant Chaudhary, Energy Minister Ramveer Upadhyaya, deputy leader of BJP Legislative Party Hukkum Singh and former minister Rajveer Singh, who is also son of former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh.

Popularity of Rashid Masood, who left SP and joined Congress, would also be put to test in this phase as his nephew Imran Masood is in fray from Nakud seat in Saharanpur district.

The February 28 polls would also test the impact of an appeal made by Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid Maulana Ahmad Bukahri in favour of SP as his son-in-law Umar Ali is in the fray for Behat seat in Saharanpur disrict.