UP polls : Campaigning intensifies for fifth phase voting on February 23
829 candidates in fray in 49 ACs
Source: The Sangai Express / Agencies

Lucknow, February 20 2012: In Uttar Pradesh, the campaigning has intensified in the fifth phase areas.

Several political heavyweights from all major political parties are in the area, campaigning for their party candidates.

The election for 49 Assembly constituencies spread in 13 districts of Agra, Aligarh, Kanpur, Jhansi and Chitrakoot Dham divisions will be held on Thursday, February 23 .

A total of 829 candidates including 87 females and one eunuch are in the fray in this phase.

An official source says that this phase also includes five districts of Bundelkhand region where both the ruling BSP and Congress would stake their claims on development issue.

All the major parties including BSP, Samajwadi Party, BJP and Congress have fielded their candidates while newly emerged Bundelkhand Congress is also staking its claim in Bundelkhand Districts.

Its President, actor turned politician Raja Bundela is contesting from Jhansi-Nagar constituency of Jhansi district.

The BSP had won 18 seats followed by Samajwadi Party with 10 seats in 2007 Assembly election in the districts undergoing election in the fifth phase.

As many as 10 new constituencies have been carved out in 2008 delimitation of constituencies in the areas whereas a new district Kanshi Ram Nagar was recently created by the state government.

The source added that the high voting percentage during the first four phases, is a matter of discussion among the common people and political analysts.

"While each one of four major political parties is claiming that the high vote percentage will be in their favour and they would be able to form a majority government, the political observers are yet to analyse the outcome.

They are finding it difficult to read the mind of new voters.

The fifth phase election is nearing and no change in the campaigning pattern is noticed.

The campaigners are promising speedy development, but the area specific real issues remain in the backdrop.

The election commission has started gearing up for fifth phase elections with more emphasis on voters' turn out.

It has intensified its voters awareness campaign in fifth phase areas.

Meanwhile, the electioneering for the sixth phase is also picking up pace.

68 Assembly segments in thirteen districts of western UP will undergo polling in this phase on the 28th February.

The seventh and final phase of elections will be held on the 3rd March.

The counting of votes for entire 403 seats will be held on the 6th March.

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