The filing of nominations for the initial phase of Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, encompassing eight parliamentary constituencies, has reached its conclusion, announced Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa on Wednesday.
A total of 155 nominations have been submitted for the eight Lok Sabha seats scheduled for polling in the first phase on April 19. Among these, 109 nominations were filed on the last day, as disclosed by the state election commission.
The constituencies set for the first phase include Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur, and Pilibhit. Notably, the Muzaffarnagar seat witnessed the highest number of nominations, with 38 candidates vying for it. Following closely, Bijnor recorded 23 nominations, while Moradabad and Rampur each had 18, Kairana had 17, Pilibhit had 16, Saharanpur had 13, and Nagina had 12 nominations.
Prominent figures like UP cabinet minister Jitin Prasada, contesting from Pilibhit under the BJP banner, were among those who filed their nominations on the final day. In Saharanpur, BJP’s Raghav Lakhanpal was one of the nine candidates submitting their nominations. Similarly, ten candidates, including BJP’s Pradeep Kumar, filed their papers in Kairana.
The nomination process saw 27 candidates vying for Muzaffarnagar, 19 for Bijnor including representatives from RLD and Samajwadi Party, and 12 for both Nagina and Moradabad. Meanwhile, Rampur witnessed 13 candidates, including representatives from BJP and SP, submitting their nominations. Pilibhit had 12 nominees, including prominent figures from various parties.
Ensuring security, Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa emphasized that adequate measures were in place for the nomination process, which was meticulously videographed. The Election Commission had issued the notification for the first phase of polls on March 20, with March 27 marking the deadline for filing nominations. Scrutiny of nominations is scheduled for March 28, and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 30.
This electoral season, significant political realignments have occurred. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) declared its intent to contest independently, while the SP and Congress, part of the opposition INDIA bloc, are collaborating. Additionally, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has aligned with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
Reflecting on the previous elections, in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP secured 62 seats out of 80 in the state, with its ally Apna Dal (S) clinching two seats. The SP-BSP alliance suffered a significant setback, with the Congress winning only one seat in Rae Bareli. The BSP emerged as the leading party within the alliance, securing 10 seats, while SP won five seats, and RLD failed to secure any.
Among the eight Lok Sabha seats up for grabs in the first phase, the BJP had previously secured victories in Muzaffarnagar, Kairana, and Pilibhit. Notably, the SP’s ST Hasan won Moradabad, while Azam Khan emerged victorious from Rampur. Additionally, BSP candidates clinched victories in Saharanpur, Bijnor, and Nagina.
The culmination of the nomination process sets the stage for a fiercely contested electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh, with political parties gearing up to secure mandates in these crucial constituencies.
