It's round two of the big battle for Uttar Pradesh. At least 55 constituencies spread across nine districts will vote from 7 am to 6 pm, sealing the fate of 586 candidates in India's most populous state.
The districts include Saharanpur, Bijnor, Moradabad, Sambhal, Rampur, Amroha, Budaun, Bareilly and Shahjahanpur.
Constituencies going to polls
Behat
Nakur
Saharanpur Nagar
Saharanpur
Deoband
Rampur Maniharan (SC)
Gangoh
Najibabad
Nagina (SC)
Barhapur
Dhampur
Nehtaur (SC)
Bijnor
Chandpur
Noorpur
Kanth
Thakurdwara
Moradabad Rural
Moradabad Nagar
Kundarki
Bilari
Chandausi (SC)
Asmoli
Sambhal
Suar
Chamraua
Bilaspur
Rampur
Milak (SC)
Dhanaura (SC)
Naugawan Sadat
Amroha
Hasanpur
Gunnaur
Bisauli (SC)
Sahaswan
Bilsi
Badaun
Shekhupur
Dataganj
Baheri
Meerganj
Bhojipura
Nawabganj
Faridpur (SC)
Bithari Chainpur
Bareilly
Bareilly Cantt.
Aonla
Katra
Jalalabad
Tilhar
Powayan (SC)
Shahjahanpur
Dadraul
In the 2017 polls, the BJP had won 38 of these 55 seats, while the Samajwadi Party had bagged 15 and the Congress two. The SP and the Congress had contested the last Assembly election in an alliance. The saffron party is eyeing a repeat of its 2017 performance this time.
The BJP has been repeatedly attacking the Samajwadi Party over law and order situation in the state, asking voters to remember what the saffron party terms as mafia raj under Akhilesh Yadav's government.
The Deoband factor
{{/usCountry}}The Deoband factor
{{/usCountry}}The constituencies going to polls have a sizeable chunk of Muslim voters, which the SP has an eye on. Saharanpur is home to the Darul Uloom Deoband, one of India's most influential Islamic seminaries.
The Deoband city has a population of 71% Muslims, but the Assembly constituency has 40% Muslims. In the 2017 polls, BJP's Brijesh Singh had won by garnering 1.02 lakh votes, benefitting from the split in votes between the BSP and SP who had fielded Muslim candidates. Majid Ali of the BSP managed 72,844 votes, and Maviya Ali of the SP 55,385 votes.
Also read: Consolidation of Muslim, Hindu votes in focus in Saharanpur
Azam Khan factor
The key SP candidate is contesting the election from the jail. Denied interim relief by the Supreme Court, the former UP cabinet minister and Samajwadi Party candidate from Rampur continues to remain in headlines in jail. On the other hand, the BJP campaign led by Prime Minister Modi, union home minister Amit Shah and chief minister Yogi Adityanath has centered around reminding voters of the alleged lawlessness and Muzzffarnagar riots during the tenure of Akhilesh Yadav. However, Azam Khan's victory margins have witnessed a decline in the last two elections. In 2012, he won by 60,000 votes but could manage to retain his seat in 2017 with 47,000 votes.
Also read: Jailed Azam in focus as campaign moves to Rohilkhand region
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