An estimated 55 to 60 per cent of17.4 million voters
have used their franchise in fourthphase election of
Uttar Pradesh covering 56 Assembly seats
in 11 districts of central parts of the state yesterday, where
fate of 967 candidates have been sealed in the Electronic
Voting Machines (EVMs).
Election Office sources here said voting picked up
after a dull start and it was 47.46 per cent till 1500 hrs.
However till 1600 hrs, the poll percentage was around
53 per cent.
The elections were by and large peaceful with
some incidents of violence in Rae Bareli and Farrukhabad.
But the polling percentage would certainly surpass the
voting recorded during 2007 and 2009 polls which was
between 45 to 52 per cent.
In Lucknow, poll percent age was 46.3 per cent
surpassing the total percentage of 36 polled during the
2007 Assembly polls or around 42 per cent polled in 2009
Lok Sabha elections.
Fatehpur recorded 51 per cent polling while Rae Bareli
and Unnao 49 per cent each, Banda 47 per cent and Hardoi
and Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj Nagar 50 per cent each till
1500 hrs.
Uttar Pradesh Governor B L Joshi and Chief Minister
Mayawati along with several other prominent people
exercised their franchise in the fourth phase of elections
in the state.
Mr Joshi cast his vote at Lucknow Montessori school in
Mall Avenue. The Governor appealed to the voters to use
their rights to strengthen the democracy of the country.
Ms Mayawati also exercised her franchise at a booth in
Mall Avenue and claimed that the huge turnout in the last
three phases would certainly give her strong mandate this
time compared to what she received in 2007.
‘My government is returning back in the state with
much more strength,’ she claimed.
BJP former president Rajnath Singh also voted in a
booth at PWD office here and claimed before the media that
his party would come to power with full majority.
Another BJP leader and candidate from Charkhari
Assembly seat in Mahoba district Uma Bharti too voted at a
booth in Navyug Girls College in the state capital.
UP Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi and BJP
national vice-president Kalraj Mishra, both candidates
from different seats in Lucknow, have also voted.
–Agencies