LS polls: Over 100 candidates file nomination for the first phase in UP

As many as 123 candidates filed their nominations for the first phase of Lok Saha polls in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, taking the total number to 146, EC officials said here.

At 25, the maximum number of nomination papers were filed from Ghaziabad, followed by Muzaffarnagar (22), Gautam Buddh Nagar (21) and Saharanpur (20), the state's chief electoral officer said.

The number of nomination papers filed from other parliamentary constituencies going to polls in the first phase were: Kairana (14), Bijnor (16), Meerut (15) and Baghpat (13).

The nomination papers will be scrutinised on March 26, while March 28 is the last date of withdrawal of candidature. The polling will take place on April 11.

Prominent among those who filed their nominations are Union minister Satyapal Singh (sitting BJP MP) from Baghpat and RLD vice-president Jayant Chaudhary from the same constituency, an election official said.

For the second phase of Lok Sabha polls, as many as 40 candidates had filed their nomination papers, taking the total number of nominations to 43 in the state.

Some of the prominent candidates included UP Congress chief Raj Babbar (Fatehpur Sikri) and BJP leader Hema Malini (Mathura).