Rains spoil the show on first day of UP Assembly polls

Rain played spoilsport during polling for the first phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections as only 5.17% of the over 1.70 lakh electorate exercised their franchise in the first two hours.

"Polling started at 7 am and in the first two hours 5.17% polling was registered in 55 assembly seats spread over 10 districts," Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha told PTI.

He said the percentage was low due to heavy rains in certain areas where polling was being held today.

In Basni Assembly seat in Siddharth Nagar district, not a single vote was cast in the first two hours of polling due to heavy rains, official sources said.

While Sitapur registered 5.1% polling in the first two hours, people boycotted polling in Gularia village in Misrikh assembly seat to protest lack of development works.

Minimum vote percentage 3.5% was registered in Faizabad district, followed by 4% in Bahraich.

Maximum 16% till 10 AM was recorded in Barabanki district followed by 10% in Gonda.

Polling is being held in 10 districts -- Sitapur, Barabanki, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharth Nagar and Basti amidst tight security arrangements, CEO Umesh Sinha said.

More than 1.70 lakh electorates - 952.87 lakh male and 70.44 lakh female - are expected to seal the fate of 862 candidates.

The candidates include 796 men, 65 women and one eunuch. Maximum 26 candidates are in fray for Barabanki seat, whereas Mehmoodabad has minimum number of 8 candidates.

Stakes are high for ruling BSP, Congress, SP and the BJP in the no holds barred fight for the 403 assembly seats.

Today's polling would decide the future of cabinet minister Lalji Verma, minister of state Sangram Singh Verma, 31 sitting MLAs, 15 former ministers and relatives of several MPs including Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma.

It would be a litmus test for Congress leaders, including Beni Prasad Verma and National Commission for Scheduled Caste Chairman P L Punia as both of them represent the areas going to the polls.