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The 54 seats spread across nine districts -- Azamgarh, Mau, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Sonbhadra -- are voting today.
Uttar Pradesh has recorded a voter turnout of 54.18% till 5 pm, according to the election commission. Voting will end at 6 pm.
The eight seats in Varanasi and its adjoining districts -- Banaras City South, Banaras City North, Shivpur, Sewapuri, Cantonment, Ajgara, Pindra and Rohaniya -- are witnessing a multi-cornered contest.
Last time, the BJP and its allies swept the region. Six seats had gone to the BJP. Of the remaining two, one seat had gone to BJP ally Anupriya Patel's Apna Dal (S) and one to Om Prakash Rajbhar's Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), which is now partnering Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party.
Five of the seats are within PM Modi's Parliamentary constituency of Varanasi. A strong poll battle is on the cards in neighbouring Mirzapur and Jaunpur too, where the BJP had won hands down last time.
Besides 3 lakh Muslims, Varanasi also has over 3.25 lakh Vaisyas, Patels known locally as OBC Kurmi (2 lakh), Yadavs (1.5 lakh), Thakurs (1 lakh), Dalits 80,000 and other OBC castes 70,000.
The day is expected to belong to the smaller allies on both sides- Akhilesh Yadav's partners Apna Dal (K), Mr Rajbhar's SBSP and the BJP allies Apna Dal and the NISHAD party.
Akhilesh Yadav has nominated four SP candidates in Varanasi and has left four seats other allies, Apna Dal (Kamerwadi) headed by Anupriya's mother Krishna Patel and two for Rajbhar's SBSP.
The BJP has fielded its candidates on seven seats and left the Rohania constituency for Union minister Anupriya Patel headed Apna Dal (S).
The counting of votes of Uttar Pradesh and other four states will take place on March 10.
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