The second phase of the urban local body polls in Uttar Pradesh has seen 77 candidates elected unopposed, according to the State Election Commission. The polls, which are being held in three phases, will elect representatives to over 650 urban local bodies, including municipal corporations, municipal councils, and nagar panchayats.
Of the 77 candidates who were elected unopposed, 35 were from the municipal corporations, 25 from the municipal councils, and 17 from the nagar panchayats. The candidates who were elected unopposed were from a range of political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Samajwadi Party (SP), and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
The election commission has attributed the high number of candidates being elected unopposed to a combination of factors, including the disqualification of some candidates due to criminal cases, and the withdrawal of nominations by some candidates.
The elections are being closely watched as a test of the popularity of the ruling BJP government in the state, which is seeking a third term in office. The BJP has fielded candidates in all the local bodies, and is hoping to improve on its performance in the last urban local body polls in 2017.
The opposition parties, including the SP and the BSP, have accused the BJP of using its power and influence to rig the elections. They have also alleged that the state government has been intimidating opposition candidates and workers, and using the police to prevent them from campaigning.
The election commission has denied these allegations, and has assured voters that the polls will be free and fair. The commission has also increased security measures at polling booths, and deployed additional personnel to ensure that the polls are conducted smoothly.
The third phase of the urban local body polls is scheduled to be held on October 29, and the results will be declared on November 1.
