LUCKNOW, Oct. 23 -- The BJP intensified efforts to boost voter turnout ahead of Friday's Uttar Pradesh legislative council elections, seeking to retain its six seats and make inroads into Opposition-held constituencies ahead of the 2027 assembly polls. Voting will be held for 11 seats - five graduates' and six teachers' constituencies - whose sitting members' terms end on December 6. Of the 11 outgoing members, six are from the BJP, three from the Samajwadi Party (SP) and two are independents. The BJP's focus is on retaining its six seats and wresting the seats held by the SP and independents. According to the state election office, polling will take place from 8 am to 4 pm in the designated districts. Counting is scheduled for October 27. Counting will take place on October 27 and results will shape the composition of the Upper House ahead of crucial 2027 assembly polls. The five graduates' constituencies are Lucknow, Agra, Meerut, Varanasi and Bareilly-Moradabad, while the six teachers' constituencies are Lucknow, Agra, Meerut, Varanasi, Bareilly-Moradabad and the Gorakhpur-Jhansi-Prayagraj zone. With turnout traditionally low in these elections, the BJP deployed ministers, MLAs, district presidents and booth-level teams to contact eligible voters. The party set up control rooms in each constituency, shared voter lists with mandal units and launched a phone campaign to remind voters to cast their ballots. "Graduate and teachers MLC elections have low turnout historically. Our challenge is to bring voters to the booth. We are doing door-to-door contact, calling up voters and arranging transport where needed," a senior BJP functionary said. State BJP president and Union minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary reviewed preparations with constituency in-charges and asked them to ensure contact with all eligible voters. The party also mobilised its teacher cell and educated youth wing to work as booth and polling agents. The BJP is confident of retaining at least five of its six seats but faces tough contests in two to three constituencies where the SP and Independent candidates have strong networks among teachers and graduates. The SP has fielded candidates backed by teachers' associations and is seeking to capitalise on discontent among shiksha mitras, aided-school teachers and university staff over issues such as the old pension scheme, regularisation and honorarium. The two independent MLCs, meanwhile, have support among graduate voters in some urban pockets, making the contests triangular in certain constituencies. The BJP is also seeking to consolidate its support among professionals, lawyers, doctors and teachers aligned with Sangh-affiliated organisations such as the Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh. Unlike general elections, voting in graduate and teacher constituencies is restricted to registered graduates and teachers. With turnout often below 50-60%, mobilising even a relatively small number of voters can swing the outcome. The BJP currently enjoys a majority in the legislative council, which is crucial for the passage of bills and for making MLCs ministers. Retaining six seats and gaining one or two more would further cement its dominance in the Upper House. The administration has made elaborate security arrangements for polling day with the deployment of police and sector magistrates. Voters must carry photo ID and registration slips....