New Delhi: Feverish campaign ends this evening (May 3, 2004) for the penultimate phase of Lok Sabha elections when polling will be held on May 5 in 83 constituencies, including Lucknow from where Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is contesting.

At the stroke of five, mass rallies would draw to a close and public address system blaring speeches, slogans and songs, will halt in all the 25 constituencies of Rajasthan, 30 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 12 out of 29 constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, the last 12 of the 40 seats in Bihar, one each in Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland and two in Arunachal Pradesh.

Elections 2004-The Drama unfolds...
Political Parties in India

As many as 921 candidates, including 64 women, are in the fray for the fourth phase which will seal the electoral fate among others of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, Union HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav and J&K People's Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti who is pitted against CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist) leader Yusuf Tarigami in Anantnag.

The first two phases of the elections to the 14th Lok Sabha saw polling in a little over half of the total of 543 constituencies on April 20, April 22 and April 26. The last phase on May 10 will cover 189 constituencies.

While polling so far has covered 278 constituencies in 18 States and Union Territories, on May 10 elections will be held in 183 constituencies in 17 States and Union Territories as also to the 32-member Sikkim State Assembly. Counting of votes will be taken up on May 13.