60.44 per cent voter's turnout recorded in UP second phase polling

According to the Chief Electoral Officer's office, Saharanpur district recorded the highest voter turnout at 67.13 per cent, whereas the Shahjahanpur district saw the lowest turnout at 55.25 per cent.

Among other districts, Amroha recorded 66.19 per cent, Bijnor 61.48 per cent, Moradabad 64.88 per cent, Sambhal 56.93 per cent, Rampur 60.30 per cent, Badaun 55.91 per cent and Bareilly 57.88 per cent polling.

Earlier, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said that eight Assembly constituencies, including Nagina, Dhampur, Bijnor, Asmauli, Sambhal, Deoband, Rampur Maniharan and Gangoh, have been categorised as sensitive.

"In the second phase, total 436 hamlets and localities have been marked as vulnerable and 4,917 polling booths have been identified as critical," he added.

The ADG said that 127 pink booths were set up specially for women, on which 42 female inspectors or sub-inspectors, 488 constables and head constables were been deployed.

According to political analysts, the division of Dalit votes was such that BSP failed to open its account. Three ministers in the Yogi government are trying their electoral luck in this phase. Suresh Khanna is contesting from Shahjahanpur, Gulabo Devi from Chandausi in Sambhal district and Baldev Singh Aulakh from Bilaspur seat in Rampur district.

Prominent opposition leaders who contested in this phase include senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan from Rampur Sadar, former minister in Yogi government and now SP candidate Dharmpal Singh Saini from Nakur in Saharanpur and Mehboob Ali from Amroha.

As most of the seats in this phase are dominated by Muslims and Dalits, it is considered to be a bastion of Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Keeping in view the caste equations in this region, political parties have fielded candidates strategically. In view of the demography, political parties have fielded 75 Muslim candidates. While BSP has fielded maximum 25 Muslim candidates, SP-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) combine has filed 18 candidates and Congress has named 23 Muslim candidates in this phase.

Asaduddin Owaisi led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which is trying hard to gain ground in politically important UP, has made the contest interesting by fielding 18 Muslim candidates.

This is also important as out of 55 seats Muslims decide victory or defeat on 25 seats and Dalits on 20 seats.