These are the top stories from the northern region at 5.15 pm
LUCKNOW ELX61 UP-PHASE-2-2NDLD-POLLING Lucknow: Over 50 per cent of the votes were cast by 3 pm Thursday in the eight constituencies which went to the polls in Uttar Pradesh in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections.
MAINPURI (UP) ELN43 UP-ALLIANCE RALLY
Mainpuri (UP): At loggerheads for decades, SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati are scheduled to share the dais at a joint rally of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in the Samajwadi Party citadel of Mainpuri on Friday.
LUCKNOW ELN23 UP-MAYAWATI BJP
Lucknow: Back from an Election Commission ban for campaigning for 48 hours, BSP chief Mayawati Thursday lashed out at BJP and its leaders for levelling "unfounded" charges on opposition parties, including allegations that they were abusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
AZAMGARH ELX46 UP-AKHILESH NOMINATION
Azamgarh (UP): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Thursday filed his nomination papers for the Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat.
MORADABAD ELX24 UP-MORADABAD-CONG-POET
Moradabad (UP): Just 32, a YouTube star and a poet who wraps his messages on conscience voting, secularism and women in fiery verse, Congress candidate Imran Pratapgarhi is the politician with more than a slight difference.
RAMPUR ELX53 UP-JAYA PRADA-INTERVIEW
Rampur (UP): Attacking SP chief Akhilesh Yadav for inaction over his candidate Azam Khan's khaki underwear jibe against her, BJP's nominee from Rampur Jaya Prada says it could well be the party's undoing with women in the constituency now turning against it.
LUCKNOW ELX22 UP-MAYAWATI-ADITYANATH
Lucknow: BSP supremo Mayawati Thursday accused UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of blatantly violating the 72-hr EC ban on canvassing and the poll body with turning a blind eye to the violations.
JAMMU ELX41 JK-2NDLD POLL
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir recorded nearly 30 per cent polling till 1 pm in Udhampur and Srinagar Lok Sabha constituencies Thursday, poll officials said.
SRINAGAR ELX54 JK-STRIKE-SEPARATISTS
Srinagar: Normal life was affected in poll-bound districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday due to a strike called by separatists against the Lok Sabha elections in the state.
SIKAR DES5 RJ-BRIDE
Sikar: A bride on the way to her in-laws' place after the wedding was allegedly abducted at gun point by her jilted lover in Rajasthan's Sikar district, police said Thursday.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)