BANNERS AND POSTERS IN STREET; FLAGS FLYING FROM WINDOWS; POSTER FOR JAN SANGH PARTY; JAN SANGH CANDIDATE SHAKING HANDS WITH SHOPKEEPERS AND CANVASSERS MOVING ALONG STREET; JAN SANGH CANDIDATE M.L. KAPOOR HANDING OUT LEAFLETS AND SHAKING HANDS WITH CONSTITUENTS; KAPOOR AND SUPPORTERS CHANTING; CONGRESS FLAGS ON BUILDING; MRS. SHAKUNTALA PUNDARIK, CONGRESS CANDIDATE, HANDING OUT LEAFLETS; CHILD; CONGRESS PARTY CANDIDATES AND SUPPORTERS WALKING DOWN STREET; MRS. SHAKUNTALA PUNDARIK ARRIVING AT BUNGALOW AND RECEIVING GARLAND. (NATSOF)




Initials EH/V/AS/GJB



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Background: A THIRD OF INDIA'S POPULATION IS GOING TO THE POLLS THIS MONTH WHEN MID-TERM ELECTIONS ARE HELD, FOLLOWING THE COLLAPSE OF COALITION GOVERNMENTS AFTER THE 1967 GENERAL ELECTION.

IN UTTAR PRADESH - ONE OF INDIA'S LARGEST STATES - POLLING BEGINS TOMORROW (5 FEBRUARY). PRE-ELECTION CANVASSING AND AGITATION HAVE BEEN INTENSE IN THIS STATE. IN MEERUT, THE HISTORIC CITY 50 MILES FROM DELHI (WHERE THIS FILM WAS TAKEN), THE MAIN CONTEST IS BETWEEN CONGRESS AND THE RIGHT-WING HINDU JAN SANGH PARTY.

13 CANDIDATES ARE COMPETING FOR MEERUT'S ONE PARLIAMENTARY SEAT. IN THE LAST ELECTION, IN 1967, IT WAS WON BY JAN SANGH WITH A MAJORITY OF OVER 15,000 VOTES. THE CANDIDATE WHO WAS SUCCESSFUL ON THAT OCCASION - M.L. KAPOOR - IS CONTESTING THE SEAT AGAIN. HIS CONGRESS OPPONENT IS MRS. SHAKUNTALA PUNDARIK CONGRESS - WHICH LOST CONTROL OVER THE MAJORITY OF STATES IN THE 1967 ELECTION - CONTINUES TO FUNCTION AS AN "UMBRELLA PARTY" EMBRACING TRADITIONALISTS, MODERNISING LEADERS LIKE MRS. GANDHI, AVOWED RIGHTISTS AND RADICALS.

THE STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH GOES TO THE POLLS ON 5TH, 7TH, 9TH AND 20TH FEBRUARY TO ELECT A HOUSE OF 425 MEMBERS.