New Delhi: Campaigning for Elections 2004, one of the longest in recent times, comes to an end tomorrow (May 7, 2004) as the countdown begins for the crucial final phase covering 182 Lok Sabha seats in 16 States and Union Territories on May 10.

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Publicity guns would fall silent across the country as canvassing would draw to a close in the last 18 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, remaining 17 of the 29 in Madhya Pradesh and the last two seats in Jammu and Kashmir.

The last phase of polling on May 10 would also cover all the seats in West Bengal (42), Tamil Nadu (39), Kerala (20), Punjab (13), Haryana (10), Delhi (seven), Uttaranchal (five), Himachal Pradesh (four) and one each in Lakshadweep, Pondicherry, Chandigarh, Assam (Silchar) and Sikkim.

Elections 2004-Where is India heading...
Political Parties in India

Elections will also be held for the 32-member Sikkim Assembly on Monday (May 10, 2004).

As many as 2132 candidates, including 149 women, are in the fray for the final phase which will seal the electoral fortunes of among others Union Ministers Mamata Banerjee, Jagmohan, Sahib Singh Verma, B C Khanduri, I D Swami and Vijay Goel.

Also in the race are veterans like Somnath Chatterjee of CPM (Communist Party Marxist) , P M Sayeed of Congress and former Union Ministers P Chidambaram, Manishankar Aiyer, T R Baalu, Ajit Singh of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) as also scion of royal family Jyotiraditya Scindia from Guna in Madhya Pradesh.

Elections to the 14th Lok Sabha are being held in five phases. In the earlier phases on April 20, April 22, April 26, May 5, elections were held in 361 constituencies. Counting of votes will be taken up on May 13.