An average of 22.62 per cent voting was recorded on Wednesday in the first four hours of polling in 59 Assembly constituencies spread over nine districts of Uttar Pradesh, the Election Commission said.
The polling started at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm.
The districts where the polling is being held are Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda, and Fatehpur.
This is the fourth of the seven phases of the Assembly polls in the state.
As many as 624 candidates are in the fray in this round of voting.
According to the ECI, Pilibhit recorded 27.44 per cent of votes, Kheri 26.28 per cent, Sitapur 22.13 per cent, Hardoi 20.13 per cent, Unnao 21.36, Lucknow 21.41 per cent, Rae Bareli 21.42 per cent , Banda 23.92 per cent and Fatehpur 22.52 per cent.
57.54 per cent voter turn out till 5 p.m.
State records 57.54 per cent voter turn out as of 5 p.m.
49.89 per cent voting recorded till 3 pm
An average of 49.89 percent voting was recorded till 3 pm in 59 Assembly constituencies spread over nine districts of Uttar Pradesh, the Election Commission said. The polling will continue till 6 pm.
'Congress will replicate Chhattisgarh government's scheme in UP to solve stray cattle issue'
Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said if her party comes to power in Uttar Pradesh, it will adopt the Chhattisgarh government's scheme to buy cow dung to deal with the menace of stray cattle. Referring to a recent speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi wherein he promised voters that a new policy will be introduced after March 10 to tackle the issue of stray cattle in Uttar Pradesh, Vadra said she is happy that he "copied" the Congress' suggestion.
Akhilesh claims double century seats by 4th phase of polls
Akhilesh Yadav said the Samajwadi Party-led alliance will score a double-century of seats by the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh polls and asked people to ensure a historic win for the coalition.
He also took a dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his reported promise of providing laptops to those who take "admission in Inter after passing class 12". Inter is the short form of Intermediate and refers to classes 11 and 12.
Today there are long queues outside polling booth...(for 4th phase #UPElections2022)...Linking of Kaushambi with Bodh circuit has also done by our govt: PM Modi in Kaushambi pic.twitter.com/LznRBvHHOH
SP, BJP discuss problems facing common people only under pressure: Priyanka Gandhi
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused BJP and the Samajwadi Party of talking about terrorism during the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections while diverting attention from the "central discourse" on unemployment, inflation, empowering women and helping small businesses and farmers.
37.45 per cent voter turn out till 1 pm
Rashtriya Kisan Manch extends support to Samajwadi Party for UP Polls
In a letter written to the SP President Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday, Shekhar Dixit, the national president of the Manch, said his organisation has decided to extend full support to the SP. (READ FULL STORY HERE)
'Green Booth' set up in Lucknow
#UttarPradeshElections | As per the EC's order, a green booth with a zero-carbon emission concept has been made under district election officer. Its aim is to aware the voters of environmental preservation & increase voting percentage: Ajay Dwivedi, Lucknow Municipal Commissioner pic.twitter.com/gAIA1s3Hz3
23.62 per cent voting till 11 am. (Photo | Special Arrangement)
Mayawati hits out at Akhilesh, thanks Amit Shah
BSP president Mayawati on Wednesday exuded confidence that her party will repeat its show of 2007 and SP president Akhilesh Yadav's dreams of forming government will be shattered.
She also thanked the Union Home Minister Amit Shah for acknowledging BSP's relevance in the state, saying her party is getting votes of all sections of society.
"When the results are declared on March 10, BSP will form its government like it did in 2007 with full majority," Mayawati told media after casting her vote.
Asked about Akhilesh's claims about Samajwadi Party getting Muslim voters' support, she said the ground reality cannot be more different and can be known by visiting villages.
"Members of the religious minorities, the Muslims, have been unhappy with the working style of Samajwadi Party. They believe that even when they had been with it since last five years, when the time came to allot tickets, they were sidelined to make space for others," said the Dalit leader.
On Shah's comment about her party's continued relevance, Mayawati said it was his "greatness" that he accepted the truth. She at the same time added that BSP is getting votes of not only Dalits, but Muslims, OBCs, and upper castes as well.
"The BSP has maintained its relevance. I believe they will get votes. I don't know how much of it will convert into seats but it will get votes," Shah had said in an interview earlier.
The BJP leader had acceded that the BSP was likely to get Muslim votes too at many seats. Mayawati, when asked about Akhilesh's claims of making forays into her core Jatav votebank, called the idea a distant dream and advised the latter to ensure that gets his own caste votes first.
She termed the former chief minister "nakli Ambedkarvadi" (a fake Ambedkarite), alleging that he had changed the names of the districts and schemes she had named after Dalit icons during her government. "Samajwadi Party is dreaming of forming government and this dream will be shattered, you all know whenever SP has been in power, Dalits, backwards, poor and Brahmins have been harassed the most," she said.
"People here have seen how the 'goonda' and mafia elements had been calling the shots and harassment had been at its peak whenever SP had been in power," she said, adding that under the SP government the state also witnessed riots and cited Muzaffarnagar riots in 2014 as example.
As BJP continues to attack Akhilesh, party MP Rita Joshi's son meets SP chief
Rita Bahuguna Joshi is the Lok Sabha MP from Prayagraj and was pitching for her son to be declared the BJP candidate from Lucknow Cantonment assembly seat. However, the BJP gave the ticket to Uttar Pradesh Minister Brijesh Pathak. (READ FULL STORY HERE)
UP Deputy CM casts his vote
UP Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma casts his vote at a polling booth in Lucknow
"After the 4th phase, BJP will hit a double century and will march ahead to break its previous records. Development works done by PM Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath has reached everyone's house," he says pic.twitter.com/bUnMjW8qm0
UP Fourth phase: 9.10 per cent voting recorded in first two hours
An average of 9.10 per cent voting was recorded on Wednesday in the first two hours of polling in 59 Assembly constituencies spread over nine districts of Uttar Pradesh, the Election Commission said.
The polling started at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm. The districts where the polling is being held are Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda, and Fatehpur.
This is the fourth of the seven phases of the Assembly polls in the state. As many as 624 candidates are in the fray in this round of voting.
According to the ECI, Pilibhit recorded 10. 64 per cent of votes, Kheri 10. 43 per cent, Sitapur 9. 59 per cent, Hardoi 8. 14 per cent, Unnao 9. 26, Lucknow 8. 06 per cent, Rae Bareli 8. 03 per cent , Banda 8. 81 per cent, and Fatehpur 9. 69 per cent.
BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj rakes up Hijab row
BJP will win all six seats in Unnao with majority. On the basis of all campaigning I did, I can say that CM Yogi will form the government again by breaking his own 2017 record. I think the numbers may go up to 350. Opposition brought the Hijab issue into elections. This rule (for uniform) was formed in Karnataka, people did this (row) in reply. But I think, a law should be made to ban hijab across the country, he said in Unnao.
Minister from Yogi Cabinet, BJP MLAs confident about coming back into power
We are going to get around 350 seats. Development work done, work has been done to protect our identity, culture and traditions. I think people have accepted it. SP-BSP-Congress are going to be become history like Article 370 and 35A: Pankaj Singh, BJP MLA and candidate from Noida.
Every section is blessing BJP. We've established rule of law in the state. People are excited to vote for BJP. We will form government with an majority: UP minister and BJP's candidate from Lucknow Cantonment seat Brijesh Pathak.
Today UP is crime & terrorism free. Everyone feels safe. People are getting jobs. We've made UP economy no 2 and will also make it No 1 and people are voting for that. We are forming the government: UP minister Mohsin Raza.
BSP leader Satish Chandra Misra casts his vote at Montessori school polling booth in Lucknow
"BSP is getting a one-sided vote. By the end of this phase, it will be ensured that BSP is forming government with a full majority.Every section including Brahmins are voting for us," he said. (Photo | Special Arrangement)
BSP chief casts her vote
BSP chief Mayawati casts her vote at Municipal Nursery School polling booth in Lucknow. (Photo | Special Arrangement)
Latest polling figures so far
9.10 per cent voters turnout recorded till 9 am.
Rajnath about BJP's chances of winning UP elections
BJP will not only repeat the history but it is also an undeniable possibility that our number of seats will increase: Defence Minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh in Lucknow.
All you need to know about the phase four of UP polls
The fourth phase of polling on February 23 will decide the fate of 624 candidates in 59 Assembly segments in the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda and Fatehpur.
Of the 59 seats, the BJP had won 51 in the 2017 Assembly elections, four had gone to the Samajwadi Party, and three to the Bahujan Samaj Party.
The BJP's ally Apna Dal (Sonelal) had bagged one seat. Lakhimpur, which had hogged national news headlines after eight people, including four farmers, were killed in violence on October 3 will go to the polls in the fourth phase.Among the prominent candidates in this phase is Uttar Pradesh Law Minister Brijesh Pathak who is facing Samajwadi party candidate and two-time corporator Surendra Singh Gandhi in the Lucknow Cantonment seat.
Pathak had won the Lucknow Central seat in 2017.Another minister Ashutosh Tandon is in the fray from the Lucknow East seat and is being challenged by SP's national spokesperson Anurag Bhadauria.
The Sarojini Nagar Assembly segment will witness a battle between former ED officer Rajeshwar Singh fielded by the BJP and Abhishek Mishra who had been a minister in the Samajwadi Party government.
Deputy Speaker of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Nitin Agarwal, who had crossed over to the BJP from the Samajwadi Party, will face the electoral test in this phase.
Rae Bareli considered a Congress bastion will also go to the polls in this phase, with BJP's Aditi Singh in the fray from Rae Bareli. She was earlier with the Congress.
