Agra, June 26 (IANS) Authorities stepped up security in Agra for Wednesday's municipal polls which will test the popularity of the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. The SP is giving a tough fight to the BJP, which has been ruling the council for more than a decade.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made by deploying additional companies of UP Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) at the 319 polling centres in the city, which has been divided into ten super zones and 72 sectors for the Agra Municipal Corporation polls, one of the largest municipal bodies in UP.

Ten candidates are contesting for the mayor's post while more than 700 are in the fray for the 90 corporators' posts.

The outgoing Bhartiya Janata Party mayor Anjula Singh Mahaur has now joined the SP, which is giving a tough time to the BJP that has continuously ruled the corporation for more than a decade.

Barriers have been erected to check anti-social elements, and officials said 107 polling booths have been identified as sensitive.

Inspector General (IG) M. Javed Akhtar, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Bhanu Bhaskar, Senior Superintendent of Police Sunil Chandra Vajpayee reviewed the arrangements with senior district administration officials Tuesday.

Considering the hot weather, poll pundits have forcast a low turnout of voters, but the candidates have spared no effort to mobilise support and interest in the civic election.

A large number of candidates who are influenced by the anti-corruption movement are also in the fray. Four doctors belonging to the Jan Swasthya Morcha are also trying their luck at the hustings.

The SP has released a local agenda that would be taken up for execution for the development of the city. Former central minister and party general secretary Ramji Lal Suman, is leading the battle to uproot the BJP from the corporation.

We hope to see a large number of women corporators for a change, says an activist, Naresh Paras.