UP elections: Voting peaceful,turnout 59 pct in 2nd phase

State presidents of BSP and BJP are in fray in this phase along with 31 MLAs,24 former ministers.

Nearly 59 per cent of 1.92 crore voters today 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.

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In New Delhi,Deputy Election Commissioner Alok Shukla said “these constituencies witnessed a turnout of 43.41 per cent in the 2007 assembly election.”

He said a polling officer in Gorakhpur died after he suffered brain haemorrhage.

Residents of village Chacheri in Khalilabad constituency in Sant Kabir Nagar district boycotted the polling protesting lack of development in their area,Shukla said.

Polling began amid tight security on a dull note but picked up as the day advanced.

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Barring a couple of incidents,the polling passed off peacefully,state CEO and police said.

In Dakshin Tola area in Mau district,police used force to disperse voters who indulged in unruly behaviour outside a polling station.

Police also used force in Mahaveer Akhara hamlet in Rasra area in Ballia district after some locals indulged in slogan-shouting.

Speaker Sukhdeo Rajbhar,Revenue minister Phagu Chauhan,BSP state chief and Cabinet minister Swami Prasad Maurya and state BJP head Surya Pratap Shahi were among the notable candidates whose fate was sealed in the EVMs.