The polling will take take place in Hathras, Mathura, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etah, Hardoi, Farukhabad, Itawah, Kanauji and Akbarpur.

The prestige of Mulayam Singh Yadav is involved as he himself is contesting from Mainpuri while his daughter-in-law and wife of chef minister Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav is contesting from Kannauj and Mulayam’s nephew and son of Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav, Akshay is in fray from Firozabad. The remaining 10 seats are in the districts considered to be stronghold of Samajwadi Party.

This phase is also very important for veteran BJP leader Kalyan Singh whose son Rajbir Singh is contesting from Etah. During last elections, Kalyan Singh had won from this seat as he had the support from Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Kalyan Singh is considered to be the undisputed leader of lodh backward community which has influence in Mathura, Hathras, Agra and Firozabad.

Rajbir is visiting each and every village and seeking vote in the name of Narendra Modi and his father.

It may be mentioned here that since Narendra Moid is playing aggressive backward card and he depended on Kalyan Singh for ticket distribution in Uttar Pradesh.

Farukhabad constituency is also very important for Congress as union minister Salman Khurshid and his father Khurseed Alam Khan had been contesting from there. Salman Khurshid is MP from this prestigious seat. This time he is facing stiff opposition from BJP candidate Mukesh Rajput considered close to Kalyan Singh.

Firozabad seat is also very important for Congress as Raj Babbar had won this seat in by-election defeating Dimple Yadav. The seat was won by Akhilesh Yadav in 2009. Since Akhilesh Yadav had also won from Kanauj, he vacated Firozabad. Raj Babbar who had lost from Fatehpur Sikri in 2009 polls .won in by-election in Firozabad.

This phase is also very important for Rashtriya Lok Dal and its two important leaders are in the fray. Jayant Choudhry, son of RLD supremo Ajit Singh is contesting from Mathura and controversial Thakur leader Amar Singh from Fatehpur Sikri. Jayant is facing SP, BSP and BJP candidate Dreamgirl Hema Malini in Mathura.

Similarly in Fatehpur Sikri, Seema Upadhya sitting MP from BSP is considered to be comfortable as Amar Singh is not able to give fight to her although Bollywood actress and sitting MP from Rampur Jaya Prada is campaigning for Amar Singh.

BSP has not won any of 12 Lok Sabha seats going to polls on April 24 but supremo Mayawati has staked her prestige in four reserved seats in Hathras, Agra, Itawah and Hardoi. In Mainpuri .daughter of senior BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya is in fray and in Agra. Seema Upadhya, wife of Ram Veer Upadhya, former cabinet minister and prominent Brahmin leader in BSP is contesting.

Concentration of backward communities like Yadavs, Lodh, Rajput, Saini, Pal, Behl will play important role in this region. The good presence of Brahmins could also be decisive in some constituencies. (IPA Service)