Polling begins for second phase of UP polls

Lucknow, Feb 11 (ANI): Polling for the second phase of assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh for 59 seats began at 7 a.m. this morning and will continue till 5 p.m.

Over 1.92 crore voters will be casting their votes in Sant Kabir Nagar, Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Deoria, Azamgarh, Mau, Ballia and Ghazipur

Today's polling would decide the fate of many senior leaders, including speaker Sukhdeo Rajbhar, Revenue Minister Phagu Chauhan, state presidents of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), deputy leader of Samajwadi Party (SP) Ambika Chaudhary, 31 MLAs and 24 former ministers.

Congress, ruling BSP and SP have fielded their candidates in all 59 constituencies while BJP has left four seats for its ally Janwadi Party. Maximum 31 are in contest from Gorakhpur Urban seat while minimum 23 candidates are in fray from Saidpur reserved constituency.

An impressive 62 to 64 percent voter turnout was recorded on Wednesday registered in the first phase of assembly elections for 55 seats.

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)