Ministers make last ditch efforts to save their strongholds
The fate of about 10 ministers and legislative assembly speaker Mata Prasad Pandey was sealed in EVMs as 51 seats in 12 districts went to polls in the fifth phase of UP assembly elections on Monday. The phase is crucial for the ruling Samajwadi Party that secured victory on 37 of these seats in the 2012 assembly election.
To save their forts, the ministers were active since early morning, visiting the polling booths and motivating their poll agents. All monitored the polling, driving through the area and collecting information from their supporters.
Transport minister Gayatri Prajapati arrived at his polling booth immediately after voting began and urged the voters to permit him to cast his vote. The rival political parties objected and said action should be taken against him. Soon, he moved to nearby villages.
In Ayodhya, minister Pawan Pandey was seen mobilising the youths to support him. After seeking blessings at a Hanuman temple, he visited the booth to cast his vote. “I am confident of my victory,” he said.
Another minister Yasar Shah, who is contesting from Matera assembly seat in Bahraich, was also active since morning. He kept a watch on his stronghold, motivating supporters to cast their vote early. Yasar also monitored polling in neighbouring Bahraich seats. His mother Rubaba Sayeda is also contesting the election.
Controversial minister Vinod Kumar Singh alias Pandit Singh, locked in a three-cornered fight on Tarabganj seat in Gonda, was also seen moving from one booth to another. Singh told reporters that SP would form the government again and Akhilesh Yadav would become chief minister.
Health minister Sankhlal Manjhi too was in action mode mobilising his supporters in Jalalpur assembly seat in Ambedkar Nagar. He said riding on the health schemes it launched, SP would bounce back to power. Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey visited the polling booth in his native village in Itwa assembly segment along with family members to cast his vote. “SP is getting votes cutting across caste and community,” a confident Pandey said.
He collected information about polling on mobile from the supporters and election agents. Other ministers, including Shiv Pratap Yadav, who is contesting from Gansari assembly seat in Balrampur, Ram Karan Arya who is contesting from Mahadeva assembly seat in Basti, Bansi Dhar Baudh who is contesting from Balha assembly seat in Bahraich, Awadhesh Prasad from Milkipur assembly seat in Faizabad and sacked minister Raj Kishore Singh who is in fray from Harraiya seat in Basti made all out efforts to retain their strongholds.
ANOTHER MINISTER YASAR SHAH, WHO IS CONTESTING FROM MATERA ASSEMBLY SEAT IN BAHRAICH, WAS ALSO ACTIVE SINCE MORNING. HE KEPT A WATCH ON HIS STRONGHOLD.