1st phase of UP civic polls: Prestige of over dozen ministers at stake

As 37 districts including Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Parliamentary Constituency and Lucknow, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s constituencies will go to the first phase of polls on Thursday, the political acumen of over a dozen ministers in Yogi’s Cabinet will be put to test in the Urban Local Body elections.

The polling for the first phase in 37 districts will be held on May 4 from 7 am to 6 pm.

Stakes are high for several ministers including both the Deputy Chief Ministers in Yogi’s Cabinet Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathak, Ayush minister Dayashankar Mishra Dayalu, Stamps and registration minister Ravindra Jaiswal, Minister of Labour Anil Rajbhar, Urban Development Minister A K Sharma, Industry Minister Nand Gopal Nandi, Finance minister Suresh Khanna and as they are in-charge of districts that will go to polls on May 4.

Finance Minister Suresh Khanna is in charge of Lucknow and has actively campaigned for the BJP candidates.

For Agra, prestige is at stake for three ministers namely cabinet ministers -Baby Rani Maurya, Higher Education minister Yogendra Upadhaya and Minister of State Dharmvir Prajapati who belong to this district. Urban Development and energy minister A K Sharma is in charge of the mayoral election of Agra.

The popularity of Industry Minister Nand Gopal Gupta `Nandi’, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya will be tested in Prayagraj.

The BJP has denied a ticket to the wife of Industry Minister Nand Gopal Gupta for the mayoral election in Prayagraj. She was the sitting Mayor for the last two times but was denied a ticket this time.