Rains keep voters away in early hours of polling in UP

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Rains played spoilsport in the early hours of polling for the first phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections with only 13.38 per cent of the over 1.70 crore electorate exercising their franchise. With the weather improving as the day progressed, polling gradually picked up.

"In the first four hours, 13.38 per cent polling was registered in 55 assembly seats spread over 10 districts," Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha told agencies.

Amdist complaints of EVM malfunctioning, 13 per cent polling was recorded in Bahraich district. Sitapur, where people boycotted polling in Gularia village in Misrikh assembly seat to protest lack of development, registered 16 per cent polling in the first two hours.

There was slight improvement in Faizabad where 14 per cent electorates exercised their franchise till 11 AM as compared to 3.5 per cent in the first two hours.

Maximum 20 per cent polling till 11 AM was recorded in Gonda district. Lowest poll percentage 8 per cent was recorded in Basti district followed by 11 per cent in neighbouring Siddharth Nagar district.

In Basni Assembly seat in Siddharth Nagar, not a single vote was cast in the first two hours of polling due to heavy rains, officials said.

Polling is being held in 10 districts -- Sitapur, Barabanki, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharth Nagar and Basti amidst tight security arrangements.

More than 1.70 crore electorate- 952.87 lakh men and 70.44 lakh women - are expected to seal the fate of 862 candidates.

The candidates include 796 men, 65 women and one eunuch. Maximum 26 candidates are in fray for Barabanki seat, whereas Mehmoodabad has minimum number of 8 candidates.

Stakes are high for ruling BSP, Congress, SP and the BJP in the no holds barred fight for the 403 assembly seats.

The first phase polling on Wednesday would decide the future of cabinet minister Lalji Verma, minister of state Sangram Singh Verma, 31 sitting MLAs, 15 former ministers and relatives of several MPs including Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma.

It would be a litmus test for Congress leaders, including Beni Prasad Verma and National Commission for Scheduled Caste chairman P. L. Punia as both of them represent the areas going to the polls.