New Delhi: In the seven-phase election in electorally crucial Uttar Pradesh, polling is underway in 58 Assembly seats spread over 11 districts in the first phase on Thursday (February 10).
The assembly seats going to polls in this phase are situated in western UP, which is believed to have mostly been affected by the recent farmers’ protest.
Of several key constituencies, which are set to witness a fierce fight in the first phase of UP elections, all eyes are on the Kairana seat under Shamli district.
While the BJP has fielded Mriganka Singh, daughter of the late MP Hukum Singh, the Samajwadi Party has pitted sitting MLA Nahid Hasan from the constituency. The ruling party has attacked the SP camp for giving a ticket to Hasan who was arrested on January 16 under the Gangster Act.
Key candidates fighting from Kairana:
Nahid Hasan, SP
The Samajwadi Party has fielded Nahid Hasan from the Kairana constituency. Hasan has declared 16 criminal cases against himself in his affidavit. The SP candidate has mentioned Graduate as his qualification. The 34-year-old has declared total assets worth Rs 3.1 crore and liabilities as nil. Hasan is a two-time SP MLA from Kairana constituency in Shamli district.
Mriganka Singh, BJP
From Kairana, BJP has fielded Mriganka Singh, the daughter of the late Hukum Singh, who won the seat multiple times. Singh has declared one criminal cases against herself in his affidavit. The SP candidate has mentioned Post Graduate as her qualification. The 62-year-old has declared total assets worth Rs 5.7 crore and liabilities as nil.
Akhlak, Congress
The Congress Party has fielded Akhlak from the Kairana constituency. Akhlak has declared zero criminal cases against himself in his affidavit. The 50-year-old Congress candidate has declared total assets worth Rs 2 crore and liabilities worth Rs 2.5 lakh.
Kairana grabbed the headlines after the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. It has also emerged as a key poll issue, with the BJP raising the issue of mass exodus of Hindus from the area during the Samajwadi Party government.
Mriganka and Hasan face challenges from the latter’s sister Iqra Chaudhary who has filed a nomination as an Independent candidate this year.
Polling, which started at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, is going on peacefully, Election Commission officials said.
As many as 623 candidates including 73 women are in the fray in the first phase and around 2.28 crore voters including 1.24 crore men and 1.04 women besides others are eligible to cast their franchise.
