SP chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP of exploiting central agencies to defame and arrest rival politicians.

Yadav made the statement when asked about the arrest of Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik by the Enforcement Directorate earlier in the day.

The SP is hoping to dethrone the ruling BJP in the 2022 UP elections. The fourth phase of polling concluded at 6 pm on Wednesday.

As of 5 pm, a voter turnout of 57.45% was recorded in Wednesday’s polling, according to the Election Commission.

The highest voter turnout was recorded in Lakhimpur Kheri at 62.45%.

Lakhimpur Kheri was followed by Pilibhit (61.42% voter turnout), Raebareilly (58.32%), Sitapur (58.30%), Banda (57.48%), Fatehpur (56.96%), Hardoi (55.40%), and Lucknow (54.98%).

The voter turnout was lowest in Unnao at 54.12%.

Addressing another rally in Kaushambi, PM Modi said the public saw several “seasonal” leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic, who disappeared when cases rose.

“They instigated people against vaccines, but got vaccinated themselves,” he said.

The remark was likely a reference to rival SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s refusal to take “BJP vaccines” last year. Yadav had later supported calls for vaccinations following backlash.

As of 3 pm, a voter turnout of 49.89% was recorded in Wednesday’s polling, according to the Election Commission.

The voter turnout remained the highest in Pilibhit at 54.83%.

Pilibhit was followed by Lakhimpur Kheri (52.92% voter turnout), Fatehpur (52.60%), Raebareilly (50.84%), Sitapur (50.33%), Banda (50.08%), Unnao (47.29%), Lucknow (47.62%).

The voter turnout was lowest in Hardoi at 46.29%.

Addressing the Barabanki rally, PM Modi said the dynasts want the poor to be at their feet.

His comments were in reference to the Nehru-Gandhi family of the Congress party.

Modi said the BJP is working to uplift the poor.

“Hence, the poor stand with the BJP today," he said, describing them as a "blessing" to the party during elections.

The BJP-led government scrapped triple talaq (divorce) to ensure dignity to Muslim women, PM Modi said at a rally in Barabanki, which will go to poll on Sunday.

Referring to the Nehru-Gandhi family of the Congress party, he said dynasts ignored the problems of Muslim women due to vote-bank politics.

“Where were these (dynasts) when daughters had to return to their parents with small children?” he asked, referring to women being made to leave their husbands’ homes after being divorced.

As of 1 pm, a voter turnout of 37.45% was recorded in Wednesday's polling, according to the Election Commission.

The voter turnout remained the highest in Pilibhit at 41.23%.

Pilibhit was followed by Lakhimpur Kheri (40.90% voter turnout), Fatehpur (40.35%), Raebareilly (40.17%), Banda (37.66%) Sitapur (36.98%), Unnao (35.01%), and Lucknow (35.00%).

The voter turnout was lowest in Hardoi at 34.29%.

The BJP and its rival Samajwadi Party (SP) talk about terrorism to shift focus from issues like unemployment and inflation, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra told PTI on Wednesday.

She said only the Congress party has consistently fought on the streets, while the others remain quiet until elections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took note of the stray cattle issue only during elections while people have been suffering for years, she said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday promised a sum of Rs. 900-1,000 to any farmer who adopts stray cattle.

Adityanath said his government will not let “gaumata” (cows) be slaughtered and all illegal slaughterhouses have been shut.

The move will also protect fields from stray cattle, said Adityanath, who is contesting the polls from Gorakhpur.

Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni cast his vote at a polling booth in Banbirpur in Lakhimpur Kheri amid heavy security.

Mishra’s son, Ashish Mishra, is the main accused in last October’s Lakhimpur Kheri violence at the site of a farmers’ protest rally, where eight people were killed including four farmers.

The violence has fuelled angered sentiments against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

As of 11 am, a voter turnout of 22.62% was recorded in the fourth phase of polling, according to official data shared by the Election Commission.

The data showed that Pilibhit recorded the highest average turnout of 27.44%.

Voter trends in other constituencies were recorded as follows: Banda (23.92%), Fatehpur (22.52%), Hardoi (20.13%), Kheri (26.28%), Lucknow (21.41%), Raebareilly (21.42%), Sitapur (22.13%), and Unnao (21.36%).

The fourth phase of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections is currently underway and a voter turnout of 9.10% was recorded until 9 am on Wednesday.

Voting will be conducted in 59 assembly constituencies across nine districts in the fourth phase.

Roughly 2.13 crore eligible voters will decide the fate of 624 candidates in this phase. The results will be announced on March 10.