Lok Sabha elections 2024: Parties give last minute push as campaigning ends for fifth phase

Campaigning for the fifth phase of polling ended on Saturday in the state capital with political parties making efforts to reach out to voters.

In the fifth phase of polling on Sunday voting will take place in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies, including Lucknow.

Political parties reached out to voters in door-to-door campaigning. Due to extensive heat in the afternoon, campaigning was subdued which again picked up in the evening.

In the state capital, 10 candidates are in the fray. Prominent among them are defence minister Rajnath Singh of the BJP who is seeking re-election for the third consecutive time.

Ravidas Mehrotra of the Samajwadi Party and Mohammad Sarwar Malik of the BSP are the other two prominent candidates in the poll battle.

BJP workers outperformed in reaching out to voters by door-to-door campaigning followed by the Samajwadi Party and the BSP.

BJP launched a campaigning blitzkrieg in the state capital for its candidate. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Rajnath Singh addressed several joint rallies, including those in the busy Aminabad market, Munshipulia, Shringar Nagar in Alambagh.

Several ‘prabudh nagrik’ events were also organised by the BJP.

BJP corporators and party workers reached out to voters across the city on the last day of the campaign on Saturday.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav gave a much-needed push to the party candidate Ravidas Mehrotra by leading a roadshow on May 17.

Ravidas also reached out to voters in old city areas along with the party’s corporators. The SP candidate focused on old city areas where the party has considerable support.

BSP candidate Mohammad Sarwar Malik also took out a roadshow and reached out to voters by carrying out door-to-door campaigns.

On the last day of the campaign, the BSP candidate also remained focused on his core constituents in old parts of the city.

In this predominantly urban constituency, more than 21.80 lakh voters will decide the fate of 10 candidates.

BJP has won the seat eight times in a row since 1991 when former PM late Atal Bihari Vajpayee defeated Congress candidate Ranjeet Singh.

Along with the booth level officers (BLOs), political parties contacted voters to handover voting slips.

However, parties have elaborate plans to reach out to voters a day before polling on Sunday.