Campaigning for third phase of UP assembly polls ends, voting on Wednesday

Lucknow, Feb 13 (ANI): Campaigning for third phase of UP assembly polls came to a close today at 5pm as the state gears up for Wednesday's voting in 56 constituencies spread across ten districts of Uttar Pradesh.

A total of 1,021 candidates are in fray for this phase whose fate will be decided by more than one crore 79 lakhs electorates, who will exercise their franchise on Wednesday, February 15 in over 11,500 polling stations.

The third phase polling, which spreads in the ten districts of the state, will also cover the Naxalite-infested districts of Mirzapur, Sonebhadra and Chandauli.

The inter-state borders with Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh would be sealed off from Monday evening.

The Central paramilitary forces along with state police will man the polling stations. Choppers will also be deployed to oversee the law and order problem in the Naxalite belt.

Prominent candidates whose fate would be decided in the third phase in the state include former Assembly Speaker and BJP candidate Kesri Nath Tripathi and BSP minister Nand Gopal Gupta, BSP minister Indrajeet Saroj, Congress candidate Amita Singh, former state minister and SP candidate Ujjawal Raman Singh, SP candidate and former principal secretary of state Assembly Rajendra Prasad Pandey from Majhawava seat in Mirzapur.

Polling in the first and second phase of UP assembly elections saw a voter turnout of 64 and 59 percent respectively.

The Uttar Pradesh polls are being viewed as an opportunity for major parties to re-establish their foothold in the country's fifth largest and most populous state.

A new 403-member state assembly will be elected in March. The poll results will broadly indicate trends for the 2014 general elections. (ANI)