Lucknow: Crucial battel for Uttar Pradesh began today with the first phase of elections to 58 seats, at 11 AM, 10 percent voting registered in the state. 
Voting began at 7 am with all covid precautions issued by the Elections Commission. The voting will end at 6 pm. 
Elections will be held in Uttar Pradesh in seven phases. February 10, 14,20, 23, 27, March 3 and 7. Results will be declared on March 10. 
In the 2017 Assembly polls, the BJP was won 53 seats out of 57 seats. Nine ministers in the Yogi cabinet contesting in first phase elections including Shrikant Sharma, Suresh Rana, Sandeep Singh, Kapil Dev Agarwal, Atul Garg, and Chowdhury Lakshmi Narain’s fate will be decided today. Voters will also decide the fate of RLD Chief Jayanth Chowdhury today. 
Jat community is in majority in Western UP, they were upset with Centre’s three controversial farm laws. In the 2017 Assembly elections, jat and backward classes have supported BJP.  But now the situation has completely opposite. RLD has deserted the BJP and pledged the support to Samajwadi Party. Despite the repeated request of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to RLD chief Jayanth Chowdhury to come back to bjp fold, but he refused to return to the saffron party fold. Due to the breakaway of Jayanth Chowdhary, BJP has received set back. 
On the other hand. Besides Jat and Yadav communities' support, the SP has formed a rainbow alliance in Western UP with smaller parties to garner the support of Muslims and other backward classes.  Now SP has the support of Yadav, Jat, Muslims and other backward parties, this rainbow alliance of SP has worried the ruling party. 
Besides, Bharatiya Kissan Union, which led the farmers' protest for one year against the Centre’s three controversial farm laws has openly appealed to the voters not to vote for bjp, but the farmer union has not supported any party. 
BJP leaders and candidates have faced the wrath of the voters whenever they go for campaigning. People were registered their protest before the bjp leaders and candidates during a campaign. 
Congress is also fighting for its existence in the elections. Congress general secretary and UP elections in charge Priyanka Gandhi has taken a lead role in the elections, emphasizing more priority to women voters in the state. Congress has given tickets to women candidates in the elections.