The Hindu : National : Campaigning for third phase in U.P. ends

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Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009
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Campaigning for third phase in U.P. ends

Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW: Campaigning for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh came to an end on Tuesday. Polling will be held for 15 seats on April 30.

Among the important constituencies, where elections will be held on Thursday are Lucknow, Kanpur, Rae Bareli, Unnao, Jhansi, Hamirpur, Fatehpur and Barabanki (Reserved).

Among the candidates who will be trying their luck are Congress president and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi from Rae Bareli; Union Minister of State for Home Shriprakash Jaiswal from Kanpur; senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Minister, Lalji Tandon, from Lucknow; the former Lucknow Mayor, Akhilesh Das Gupta from Lucknow; social activist Nafisa Ali, also from Lucknow; retired bureaucrat P.L. Punia from Barabanki (Reserved); and the former Prime Minister, V.P. Singh’s son, Ajeya Singh from Fatehpur.

Barring Jhansi, Hamirpur and Jalaun (Reserved) seats, which are located in the backward Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh, the battle of the ballot in the third phase would be concentrated in constituencies in central Uttar Pradesh, often referred to as the heartland of the State.

Soaring temperature

With mercury soaring above 42 degrees Celsius in almost the entire State, the focus once again will be on the polling percentage. The second phase on April 23 recorded polling below 50 per cent, the low voter turnout being largely attributed to the heat as the voters, mainly in the urban areas, preferred to stay indoors.

With the possible exception of Ms. Gandhi and Mr. Jaiswal most of the candidates, if elected, would be first timers to the Lok Sabha.

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