Close on the heels of diktats issued by some dacoits to vote for their candidates during the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, a Maoist group has asked people in naxal-infested areas to elected nominees backed by it.

Distributing pamphlets, Communist Party of India-Maoist has asked people in Sonebhadra, Chandauli and Mirzapur areas to vote for its candidates, who will be in the fray for the sixth phase of elections scheduled for May 3.

Though the Election Commission has so far succeeded in curbing activities of anti-social elements during the first two legs of polls, the naxal diktat has alarmed the state machinery.

Wanted dacoits Dadua and Ambika Patel alias Thokia had earlier asked people to vote for their nominees in Bundelkhand region that goes to polls on April 28.

The CPI-Maoist termed the present government as imperialist and working for welfare of industrialists only.

The group said attempts are on to malign the image of 'those fighting for the cause of poor and farmers' and labelling naxalites as terrorists and even killing them in fake encounters.

Terming police and military as puppets of the government 'to carry on unabated atrocities on farmers and downtrodden', the CPI-Maoist also cautioned people against the media, which it said was 'spreading rumours against naxals so that they were cut off from the public at large'.

It also appealed to the people to deposit licensed as well as illegal fire arms with the party and contest elections by joining it in large numbers and grab power in the state.

A police team had, last week, raided Pokhariya village in Sonebhadra where Maoists had asked locals to mobilise their votes in its favour, but the naxals escaped.

In the fifth phase, the authorities are also facing a challenge to counter dacoit Dadua's diktats in favour of his brothers Bal Kumar Patel and R K Patel, who are contesting elections from Patti (Pratapgarh) and Karvi (Chitrakoot) respectively, where elections are due on April 28.

BSP candidate and sitting MLA from Manikpur (Chitrakoot) had already registered a complaint with the EC about Dadua's attempt to influence elections in the region.

Dadua's son Bir Singh is chairman of district panchayat of Chitrakoot and is considered very influential in the region.

Thokia, whose mother Pyari Devi Patel is contesting from Naraini (Banda), is also trying to influence the elections.

Meanwhile, state Chief Secretary Shambhu Nath, and senior home department officials had recently met officials of the troubled areas and gave them strict directions to take necessary measures to deal with an iron hand with 'any attempts made to affect the elections'.

Home department officials said central paramilitary forces along with state police and PAC personnel would be deployed in these areas to ensure security of voters as well as the candidates.