State presidents and mafia dons will test the waters in the second phase of the UP Assembly elections on Saturday. Polling in this phase will cover nine districts of Purvanchal, which has been a hotbed of political activity in recent weeks.

Polling in this phase will be held in 59 Assembly segments in Sant Kabir Nagar, Maharajganj, Gorakh-pur, Kushinagar, Deor-ia, Azamgarh, Mau, Ballia and Ghazipur districts. The prominent candidates whose fates will be decided Saturday include BSP state president and UP minister Swami Prasad Maurya, who faces a tough contest in Padrauna Assembly seat. Maurya had lost the 2007 Assembly polls but later won in a byelection. Winning this seat is crucial for him since he is now the OBC face of the BSP.
Another state president whose fate will be sealed Saturday is BJP’s Surya Pratap Shahi who is contesting the Patthardeva seat. Mr Shahi faces the prospect of internal sabotage in his constituency.
Peace Party president Dr Ayub is another key contestant, from Sant Kabir Nagar, and has already declared himself a CM candidate. This is his first election and his performance will decide the future of his Peace Party in state politics.
The two “dons-turned-politicians” in the second phase are Mukhtar Ansari and Hari Shankar Tiwari.