The biggest stakes are for the Samajwadi Party as it has six out of the total 14 constituencies going to polls in the last phase.

Congress, set on the revival path with Muslims returning to the party fold, is also gaining ground in the state; the party may win a few seats in this phase as well.

Chief Minister Mayawati, SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav, SP general secretary Amar Singh, BJP stalwarts Maneka Gandhi and her son Varun Gndhi, Union Minister Jatin Prasad and Mohd Azharuddin figure in the constituencies going to the polls in the last phase.

It may be mentioned that Muslims whose presence range from 20 to 35 per cent, will play a decisive role in the remaining 14 Lok Sabha constituencies.

Both Mayawati and Mulayam are playing an aggressive Muslim card to ensure the victory of their candidates. Besides the Muslim card, Mayawati is also talking about social engineering and asking voters to make herself the Prime Minister.

Political analysts, however, feel that if there is a division in Muslim votes, the real beneficiary would be BJP, which has been winning a good number of seats in this region.

Mayawati government's decision to move the Supreme Court against the scrapping of NSA against Varun Gandhi by the Advisory board is also being perceived as an attempt to win over Muslims in the last phase.

Significantly, Mayawati has, in her speeches in Bijnore and Moradabad, promised to implement the Sachchar Committee recommendations if BSP is voted to power at the Centre.

She also blamed the State Governor for withholding recognition to Mohammed Ali Jauhar University being constructed in Rampur, which is considered a prestige issue for estranged SP leader Mohd Azam Khan. .

Although six Lok Sabha seats from this region were bagged by the Samajwadi Party in the 2004 elections, it remains to be seen whether the party can repeat the performance this time. The situation has changed with Muslims airing their anger against Mulayam's tie-up with Kalyan Singh

Mulayam, who is facing the biggest challenge of his political career, is fighting another battle in Rampur where his close aide, Amar Singh, has thrown his weight behind sitting SP MP and Bollywood star, Jayaprada, who is opposed by Azam Khan. Jayaprada is being opposed by Congress candidate Begum Noor Banu, who belongs to the Rampur royal family. According to political observers, Azam Khan has issued an appeal to oppose Jayaprada.

To counter this, Mulayam rushed to Rampur and addressed a public meeting, condemning the attitude of Azam Khan.

The Amar-Azam fight touched a new low with Azam Khan blaming the supporters of SP MP from Mumbai, Abu Azmi, for the raids on his office. On his part, Azmi has blamed the workers of Azam for the attack on his vehicles.

BJP leaders Maneka Gandhi and her son Varun Gandhi are concentrating on Pilibhit and Aonla constituencies. Maneka, who has represented Pilibhit six times in the Lok Sabha, left her constituency for Varun and shifted to Aonla this time. Varun, who has become the new poster boy of Hindutva after his hate speech in Pilibhit, may win this seat. He is being opposed by his maternal uncle BM Singh of the Congress.

Bareilly is also important for BJP as its sitting MP, Santosh Gangwar, has been winning from there since 1991. Congress candidate, Praveen Singh Aron, is putting up a strong fight. It remains to be seen whether Gangwar will win for a record sixth time. The BSP has put up Islam Sabir while SP has fielded Bhagwat Sharan.

Union Minister Jatin Prasad is contesting from the newly-created constituency, Dhaurara. He is being challenged by former MP Raghvendra Singh of the BJP, Om Prakash Gupta of SP and sitting MP from Sitapur, Rajesh Verma of the BSP.

Dhaurara is a backward area. Therefore, Jatin Prasad, who has laid the foundation for a steel plant there, is seeking votes to ensure more development.

Shahjehanpur is very important for Congress as Union Minister Jatin Prasad represented it in the 14th Lok Sabha. His father, late Jitendra Prasad, had also won from here a number of times. After delimitation this constituency has been declared as a reserved constituency.

Likewise, the Congress has mobilised its all resources to ensure the victory of former cricket captain, Mohd Azharuddin, who is contesting from Moradabad, which has a sizable presence of Muslims. Azharuddin, his wife and former Bollywood actress, Sangeeta Bijlani and their children, are evoking good response from the people there. Mohd Safiqur Rehmand Warq, who won the seat in the 2004 elections on an SP ticket, is the BSP candidate this time.

The constituencies going to the polls are: Saharanpur, Badaun, Moradabad. Amroha, Sambhal, Bijnore, Nagina, Pilibhit, Aonla, Bareili, Dhaurara, Lakhimpur Kheri, Rampur and Shahjehanpur. (IPA)