Uttar Pradesh elections: Final phase of polling today

Voting for the seventh and final phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections covering 54 seats, including those falling under the PM’s parliamentary constituency Varanasi, will be held on Monday, completing the almost month-long voting process in the politically crucial state that had begun on February 10.

This phase, which will decide the fate of 613 candidates, covers districts of Azamgarh, Mau, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Sonbhadra. Once considered an SP stronghold, the region saw BJP making significant gains in 2017 by bagging 29 seats along with its allies Apna Dal (4) and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (3). BSP got six seats and SP won 11. In this round, BJP is partnering Apna Dal (Sonelal) and Nishad Party, while Akhilesh Yadav has tied up with Apna Dal (K) and SBSP.

Varanasi South: Is a part of PM’s constituency. Here BJP’s Dr Neelkanth Tiwari (tourism minister) faces SP’s Kameshwar alias Kishan Dixit

Rohaniya: Another assembly seat falling under PM’s PC constituency. Dr Sunil Patel (Apna Dal-S) vs Abhay Patel (Apna Dal-K) vs BSP’s Arjun Singh Patel. AD-S chief Anupriya Patel won this seat in 2012

Mau: Abbas Ansari, son of sitting MLA Mukhtar Ansari currently in jail, fights on a Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) ticket against BJP’s Ashok Singh and BSP’s Bhim. Mukhtar Ansari has held the seat since 1996

Mughalsarai: BJP’s Ramesh Jaiswal vs SP’s Chandra Sekhar Yadav vs BSP’s Irshad Ahamad

Zahoorabad: SBSP president and sitting MLA Om Prakash Rajbhar vs BJP’s Kalicharan (who fought on BSP ticket in 2012-2017) vs 2012 winner BSP’s Syeda Shabad Fatima

Ghosi: Dara Singh Chauhan, who had resigned from Yogi Adityanath cabinet and joined SP vs Vijay Kumar Rajbhar (BJP) vs Vasim Ekbal Alias Chunnu (BSP) vs INC’s Priyanka

Malhani: Lucky Yadav, son of long-time Maulayam associate late Parasnath Yadav (2017 winner), vs BJP’s Krishna Pratap Singh KP vs BSP’s Shailendra Yadav