UP polls 59% of 59 assembly seats

12 Feb Nearly 59 percent of 1.92 crore voters on Saturday exercised their franchise for 59 seats spread over nine districts in the by-and-large peaceful second phase of the fiercely-fought Uttar Pradesh assembly election.The fate of 1,098 candidates, including two state party chiefs, 31 MLAs and 24 former ministers was sealed in the Electronic Voting Machines in today’s exercise.Polling for the second round, in which 59 assembly seats were up for grabs, was generally peaceful in Sant Kabir Nagar, Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Deoria, Azamgarh, Mau, Ballia and Ghazipur districts.
“An estimated 59 per cent electorate cast votes in the second round,” state Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha told reporters here.
“The polling was generally peaceful,” he said adding Kushinagar district recorded the highest 63 per cent voting and Deoriya and Ballia 54 per cent each, the lowest, in round two.
Ruling BSP, Congress, SP and BJP pulled out all the stops to woo voters in the no-holds-barred fight for the 403-seat House in the politically-crucial state.
The first phase had recorded around 63 per cent polling in 55 constituencies in nine districts.
The voters will seal the fate of 1,098 candidates in the polling which is being held in Sant Kabir Nagar, Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Deoria, Azamgarh, Mau, Ballia and Ghazipur, Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha said.
The second phase would seal 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.
Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rajbhar is in fray as BSP candidate from newly-created Deedarganj seat in Azamgarh district, whereas deputy leader of SP in Assembly Ambika Chaudhary is seeking re-run from Phephna in Ballia.