Campaigning ends for final phase of UP polls

Political heavyweights criss-crossed eastern Uttar Pradesh to woo voters in 59 seats going to the polls on Tuesday in the seventh and final phase of the assembly elections, campaigning for which ended on Sunday.

Political heavyweights criss-crossed eastern Uttar Pradesh to woo voters in 59 seats going to the polls on Tuesday in the seventh and final phase of the assembly elections, campaigning for which ended on Sunday.

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Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, senior BJP leaders L K Advani, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Yogi Adityanath and actor-turned-Congress MP Govinda hit the road, addressing meetings and seeking votes for candidates of their parties.

Campaigning for this phase reached a crescendo with political bigwigs taking to the skies in helicopters. At a number of rallies, pilots at times failed to locate the right location and almost took VIP passengers to the wrong venue.

While Yadav addressed an election rally at Kauri Ram in Gorakpur district, Advani, Rajnath, Swaraj and Adityanath campaigned in various areas of the district. Govinda wooed voters for his party in Chillupar.

Prominent among those whose fate will be decided in the polls on Tuesday are state Ministers Ambika Chaudhary, Sitaram Nishad, Shardanand Anchal and Balram Yadav and several senior leaders of the ruling Samajwadi Party.

Mafia don Mukhtar Ansari, Amar Mani Tripathi, the main accused in the murder of poetess Madhumita Shukla, and don- turned-minister Harishankar Tewari are also in the fray.