The Phase-4 polling for the Uttar Pradesh state assembly elections took place on February 23 for 59 constituencies. These constituencies also included Lakhimpur Kheri, which has been a lot in the news lately, including Lucknow, the state’s capital. The voter turnout was reported to be over 60%. The other three phases are scheduled for February 27, March 3 and March 7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Barabanki. Sonia Gandhi also slammed Samajwadi Chief Akhilesh Yadav and the BJP over the issue of Triple Talaq. She accused them of diverting people’s attention away from important topics such as inflation and unemployment.
The Numbers
According to ANI, the Election Commission (EC) states a total turnout of 59.12% by 5 pm. As reported at 3 pm, the highest average turnout was 54.83% in Pilibhit (highest), followed by 52.92% in Lakhimpur Kheri and 52.60% in Fatehpur. On the other hand, the lowest recorded turnout was reported at 46.29% in Hardoi at 3 pm.
War of words
In an interview with PTI, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi hit out at the BJP and SP. Not only did she blame them for subverting the narrative and diverting the people’s attention from important issues, but she also accused PM Modi of only taking note of the stray cattle problem ahead of the elections. “We (Congress) have been raising the issue of stray cattle since 2019 and have announced compensation in our manifestos. Suddenly because the election is around the corner, the prime minister declares that he has just been informed that this is a big issue – really? People in the entire northern belt of the nation have been suffering huge damage due to stray cattle for years, and he has only found out now,” she said.
In addition to this, Congress general secretary Harish Rawat shared a photo in which, according to him, a man can be seen signing multiple postal ballot papers. However, the party has yet to formally complain to the EC.
PM Modi also did not squander an opportunity to attack Akhilesh Yadav at his rally in Barabanki when he accused his party of failing to understand the plight of Muslim families which suffered due to the practice of Triple Talaq. Modi said that he understands the pain of families despite not being a “pariwarwale” himself because the whole of UP is his family. This seems to be a response to Yadav, who has often said that he understands the pain of families because he is a family person, while the BJP does not.
Important faces
Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni cast his vote in the Lakhimpur Kheri district under the protection of police personnel as the situation got chaotic. His son Ashish Mishra is accused of the farmers’ murder case.
UP Law Minister Brajesh Pathak from the Lucknow Cantonment seat is a significant face in this race. He will be going against Samajwadi Party candidate and two-time Corporator Surendra Singh Gandhi for this seat.
The polling began in all districts at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm.
