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Parties pull out all stops as campaigning for phase 1 of UP civic polls ends
DM order intensive search of all hotels, lodges, guest houses in municipal corporation/nagar panchayat area to ensure no one from other districts stays at these places
LUCKNOW The high-pitched campaign for the first phase of the urban local body elections in UP came to an end on Tuesday with the ruling BJP and opposition parties pulling out all the stops to woo voters.
District magistrate and district election officer Suryapal Gangwar urged Lucknowites to vote in large numbers during civic polls on May 4. “Election campaigning is banned from 6pm on Tuesday. No rally, meeting or road show will be allowed. Candidates can address people only by going door to door,” he said.
The DM ordered an intensive search of all hotels, lodges, guest houses in municipal corporation/nagar panchayat area to ensure that no one from other districts stays at these places.
BJP’s mayoral candidate Sushma Kharakwal sought blessings of the deity at Chandrika Devi temple at Bangla Bazar trisection. She offered prayers at Digambar Jain Temple in Indira Nagar, Hanuman Setu temple and participated in Sunderkand recitation at the temple. Kharakwal also performed ‘aarti’ of Bajrang Bali, Baba Neem Karoli and Siddhi Maa.
After this, she ventured in the densely populated areas along with party candidate Abbas Zaheer of Kalbe Sadiq ward. During her march, a large number of Muslim women accompanied her. Kharakwal addressed a street meeting with Anjani Srivastava in support of party candidate Rajesh Lodhi Bauva from Kashmiri Mohalla ward no. 105.
Along with Srivastava, she did a road show from ward 38 to Kanhaiya Madhopur 2 along with party candidate Pramod Prajapati. A large number of public greeted her with slogans in favour of the BJP. After that, she offered prayers at Anandi Mata Temple.
She then proceeded to Lalji Tandon ward and held a tea party meeting with women in support of party’s candidate Roshni Rawat. After that, Kharakwal participated in a bike rally in support of party candidate Mohan Lal in Kesari Kheda ward in Cantt legislative assembly.
After the bike rally, Kharakwal went to Cantt Gurudwara where a large number of women, youth along with elderly greeted her and prayed for her victory. She also tasted ‘kada prasad’ in the gurudwara and sought the blessings of Shri Guru Granth Sahib for her victory.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party candidate Anju Bhatt took out a march in New Hyderganj, Lalji Tandon ward, Saadatganj ward and Aishbagh ward where she addressed mass meetings and did door-to-door campaigning. She said after watching the love and support received from people, AAM will surprise everyone with a victory in the mayoral polls.
Congress candidate Sangeeta Jaiswal also organised a road show, which started at 10.30am from Mama Chauraha in Vikas Nagar. She also addressed meetings in Mahanagar, Aliganj and Daliganj.
Samajwadi Party candidate Vandana Mishra campaigned in Chowk, Hazratganj, Daliganj, Alambagh and Aishbagh where she met people to seek support.
A road show was also organised by BSP candidate Shaheen Bano in the presence of MLC Vishwanath Pal and city president Shailendra Gautam. The road show covered areas of Aliganj, Daliganj, Thakurganj, Chowk, Campbell road etc.
