Elections '04: Campaigning for last phase ends Sat

Campaigning for Election 2004 will come to an end on Saturday as the countdown begins for the crucial final phase of polling covering 182 Lok Sabha seats in 16 states and Union Territories on May 10.

Canvassing will draw to a close in 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 will 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 and Sikkim.

Elections will also be held for the 32-member Sikkim assembly on Monday.

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