Campaigning for the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls will end this evening. A total of 53 constituencies, spread over 12 districts, including the Bundelkhand region, will go to polls in this phase on Thursday.
The districts, where polling will be held on February 23, are: Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Allahabad, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Mahoba, Banda, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot and Fatehpur.
A total of 630 candidates, including 50 women, are in fray in this fourth phase of elections. While the maximum number of 26 candidates are in Allahabad North, only six candidates are in fray in Khaga (Fatehpur), Manjhanpur (Kaushambi) and Kunda (Pratapgarh) constituencies.
Prominent among those in the fray are sitting MLA Aradhana Mishra from Rampur Khas (Pratapgarh), the daughter of Congress MP Pramod Tiwari, and Independent MLA and minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, who is again contesting from his traditional Kunda (Pratapgarh) seat.
In Sonia's constituency Raebareli, Aditi Singh is contesting on Congress ticket, BSP turncoat Swami Prasad Maurya's son Utkarsh Maurya is in fray from Unchahar seat, while Leader of opposition Gaya Charan Dinkar is contesting from Naraini (Banda) seat.
Senior SP leader Reoti Raman Singh's son Ujjwal Raman Singh is in the race from Karchana (Allahabad) seat.
In 2012 polls, out of the 53 seats in this phase, SP won 24, BJP 5, BSP 15, Congress 6 and others 3.
The remaining three phases will be held on February 27 and March 4 and 8. The results will be out on March 11.
