Political Battle in India's Uttar Pradesh Nears End With Polling Underway for Last Phase

The crucial state assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh began on 10 February with the first phase of polling in the western part of the state. The results will be out on 10 March. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will take on the Samajwadi Party (SP), Congress, and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to retain power in the state.

Voting for the seventh and final phase of the state assembly elections in India’s Uttar Pradesh, covering 54 seats, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency Varanasi, commenced at 7 a.m. on Monday. The voting will last until 6 p.m. (IST).

The last phase of the voting will also mark the end of the almost month-long voting process in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh that began on 10 February after the announcement of the election in mid-January.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the voters to “create a new voting record”.

In a tweet in Hindi, he said: “Today the great festival of democracy will end in Uttar Pradesh with the last phase of polling. I urge all the voters to participate in huge numbers with full enthusiasm and create a new record of voting.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Urges Voters to Participate in Seventh Phase of Polling in Uttar Pradesh

© Photo : Twitter/ @narendramodi

Uttar Pradesh State Chief and BJP politician Yogi Adityanath also urged the voters to exercise their franchise. In a tweet in Hindi, he said: “Today is the last phase of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Election-2022. All respected voters must vote for the victory of nationalism, development and good governance. Your one vote will save your state from mafias, rioters and dynasts.”

Uttar Pradesh State Chief Yogi Adityanath Urges Voters to Vote in Huge Numbers in Seventh Phase of Polling

© Photo : Twitter/@myogiadityanath

The state’s main opposition party -- Samajwadi Party (SP) -- through various tweets stated that there were problems reported in some polling stations.

Responding to the tweets, the office of Chief Electoral Officer of the state, however, said that the polling in all the polling stations is going on smoothly.

It said in a tweet in Hindi: “Voting in all the polling stations is going on smoothly during the seventh phase of Uttar Pradesh state assembly elections 2022. Model booths have been set up for the convenience of persons with different abilities, elderly, and others.”

Office of Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Assures of Smooth Voting at all Polling Stations

© Photo : Twitter/@ceoup

Voters Standing in Queue During Polling for Seventh Phase of Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh

© Photo : Twitter/@ceoup

Some of the prominent politicians contesting in this phase are Dara Singh Chauhan, who had resigned from the Yogi Adityanath cabinet and joined the SP, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar, Abbas Ansari, the son of mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, and others.