Uma, Mulayam face acid test
The fifth phase of polls in the 49 Assembly constituencies in 13 districts, spread across parts of Bundelkhand and central UP, will decide the fate of the Samajwadi Party and the BJP to a large extent.
This phase will also indicate the political future of leaders, including Uma Bharti and Babu Singh Kushwaha, even though the latter is not a contestant.
The districts going to polls in the fifth phase are Ferozabad, Kanshi Ram Nagar, Etah, Mainpuri, Etawah, Aurraiya, Ramabai Nagar, Kanpur, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Hamirpur and Mahoba.
Majority of the districts in this phase are known to be strongholds of the Samajwadi Party. Mainpuri, Etawah, Aurraiya and Kanshi Ram Nagar are known to be SP strongholds and though the party won merely 14 seats in this phase in 2007, it faces the challenge of improving its performance in these districts if it looks towards forming the next government in UP.
Etawah and Mainpuri, in particular, are strong SP bastions and directly linked to the prestige of its president Mulayam Singh Yadav. His younger brother and Leader of Opposition in the UP Assembly Shivpal Singh Yadav is contesting the “family” seat in Jaswantnagar Assembly segment and seeking his fourth term in the state Assembly
For the BJP, Bundelkhand brings hope and the party, which had won merely six seats in this phase in 2007, is confident of improving its tally. Political observers feel that the campaign in favour of the BJP by sacked BSP minister Babu Singh Kushwaha will help the party win some more seats in Bundelkhand. If Kushwaha factor works in favour of the BJP, it may dilute the Opposition to his entry into the party.
For Ms Uma Bharti, the fifth phase of polls will decide her future in UP politics. Ms Bharti is contesting the Mahoba seat and has already been announced as the chief ministerial candidate by the party high command and her victory will also indicate the consolidation of OBC votes in favour of BJP.
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