New Delhi: Campaigning for the first phase of assembly polls in western Uttar Pradesh ended on Tuesday evening, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the main opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) releasing their manifestos.
Covering the Jat-dominant belt of western UP, the first phase will see a total of 58 constituencies across 11 districts going to polls on 10 February. The districts where the elections will be held are Shamli, Hapur, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Mathura and Agra. Tight security is in place in these districts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed one last virtual rally aimed at the voters of the region, winding up his speech with less than four minutes to go for the 6 pm deadline when campaigning for the February 10 polls had to end. BSP supremo Mayawati will address a political rally in Bareilly.
A cricket match for awareness regarding polling was organised in Amethi district while 5 km long march was carried out in Banda district to persuade voters to exercise their franchise in the upcoming elections.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah tried to put the spotlight back on alleged ‘exodus’ of Hindus from Kairana before 2017. He held door-to-door campaigning in Mathura. Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav claimed that people have made up their mind to vote out the BJP from power.