India: Political Parties to Focus on Uttar Pradesh from Tomorrow

LUCKNOW, India (NNN-UNI) -- As Uttarakhand and Punjab states are going to polls tomorrow, all political parties have turned their attention towards Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and a horde of leaders would descend on the state.

The first phase of elections in the state is just 10 days away on February 8 in 55 Assembly seats.

Political parties have chalked out a detailed campaigning programme to take their leaders in every nook and corner of the constituencies.

Due to strictness of the Election Commission, political parties are facing severe problems to reach the voters.

Only election meetings and some restricted ad campaigns are the options for the parties to reach the voters.

Smaller and bigger parties are campaigning by distributing handbills, door-to-door campaign and even through social networking sites.

National parties have been allowed to use 40 each star campaigners in the state, while the recognised parties would have to go with 20.

With weather improving in the state after foggy and chilly conditions, the electioneering in the state will be electrifying with more than 40 choppers and around 15 chartered planes to ferry the leaders to reach the voters.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her son and party General Secretary Rahul Gandhi and her daughter Priyanka would be in the state for campaign next week along with other party leaders including Chief Ministers of Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana along with several Union Ministers.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi along with Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid would also be in the state capital today to address a meeting of the lawyers.

BJP, which held a star–studded campaign in Punjab and Uttarakhand in its effort to retain power, has engaged all star campaigners led by party president Nitin Gadkari.

Mr Gadkari will be in UP for two days from tomorrow and will address election meetings in Balrampur and Faizabad.

Similarly, other BJP leaders including former presidents Rajnath Singh and Murli Manohar Joshi, party General Secretary Ravishankar Prasad and others would camp in UP along with Uma Bharti, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Bollywood star Hema Malini, small screen actor Smriti Irani and cricketer Navjot Singh Siddhu. -- NNN-UNI

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