43% polling in UP in the second phase

Barring stray incidents of violence, elections passed off peacefully on all the 17 seats of second phase in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. Rising mercury had its impact on the polling in UP on the 17 seats that went for polls on Thursday.

A total of 43 per cents votes were polled in the second phase. According to the Additional Director General (ADG), Law and Order Brijlal, polling was peaceful except for two incidents in Allahabad and Balrampur districts of Shravasti seat. In Allahabad  supporters of two political parties clashed with eachother while in Balranpur brother of congress candidate Vinay Kumar Pandey had a clash with the supporters of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Rizwan Jaheer. 

The Chief Election Officer in the state capital Anuj Kumar Bishnoi informed that 45 per cent votes were polled in a free and fair manner. Votes were polled on 17 seats including Amethi, Gonda, Sultanpur, Pratapgargh, Phoolpur, Allahabad, Faizabad, Ambedkarnagar, Kaiserganj, Shravasti, Jaunpur, Dumariagnj, Basti, Santkairnagar, Bhadohi, Kaushambi and Banda. He said that as compared to 48 per cent polling in the first phase there was a low turnout.

Among those whose fate was sealed in ballot box include Rahul Gandhi, Vinay Katiyar, Sanjay singh, Atiq Ahmad, Beni Prasad Verma, Jagadambika Pal, Lalloo Singh, Mitrasen Yadav and Dhananjay Singh.