Lucknow: Campaigning for the second phase
of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections covering 59 seats spread
over nine districts came to an end on Thursday.
"Campaigning for the second phase of elections, polling
for which would be held on February 11, ended this
evening," joint chief electoral officer Anita Meshram told
reporters here.
She said nine districts where polling would be held on
Saturday are Sant Kabir Nagar, Maharajganj, Gorakhpur,
Kushinagar, Deoria, Azamgarh, Mau, Ballia and Ghazipur.
"More than 1.92 crore voters, including 1.07 crore men and
87.38 lakh women are expected to cast their votes," she said.
Meshram said 1,098 candidates are in the fray.
The JCEO said that to ensure free and fair elections
adequate force, including central forces, would be deployed.
She said that from today up to end of polling there would
be ban on exit or opinion polls.
The second phase would decide the fate of many senior
leaders, including speaker Sukhdeo Rajbhar, revenue minister
Phagu Chauhan, state presidents of BSP and BJP, deputy leader
of SP Ambika Chaudhary, 31 MLAs and 24 former ministers.
PTI
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