Much significance is being attached to the decision of Rahul Gandhi to campaign for party candidate and Bollywood star Raj Babbar in Firozabad Lok Sabha by-election from where Mulayam has fielded his daughter-in-law, Dimple.

Never before has Rahul Gandhi sought votes for party candidates in any by-election. But the party's decision to send him to Firozabad assumeas importance as it would also decide the future relationS between Congress and Samajwadi Party.

During the last Lok Sabha polls, Congress and Samajwadi Party had avoided fielding candidates against family members of Mulayam and Sonia Gandhi . That is why Congress had not fielded any candidate against Mulayam's son Akhilesh who had won from Firozabad .

But the day Dimple Yadav filed her nomination, Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh who was also present there said that since Congress had fielded Raj Bbbar against Mulayam's daughter-in-law, it would sour the relations between the two parties.

There is no doubt that Babbar has a star image and is attracting good crowds. Likewise, Dimple who is campaigning in her parivartan rath is also drawing huge crowds in the constituency.

Mulayam is also devoting more time in Firozabad to ensure smooth sailing for his daughter-in-law. Besides Mulayam, .Akhilesh, former chief minister and Lodh Rajput leader Kalyan Singh whose community has a sizable presence in Firozabad, is also campaigning for Dimple. The Yadav community too has considerable presence in the district.

Mulayam has also to ensure that his party wins from Bharthana assembly seat which he vacated when he was elected to the Lok Sabha.

For Mayawati, these by-elections are very important as her party's moral is very high after winning three out of four assembly by-elections held a few months back. She has mobilized all resources to ensure smooth sailing of BSP candidate SP Singh Baghel who had been a close associate of Mulayam.

The by-elections are crucial for the BJP too. Since Rajnath Singh belongs to UP he has the maximum stakes. He has to ensure that the party wins s few seats.

Senior BJP leader Lalji Tandon, who is the MP from Lucknow, was keen that Lucknow West seat vacated by him should be given to his son Gopal. The party leadership not only ignored his pleas but also humiliated him by giving the ticket to Amit Puri, a rival of Tandon.

However, Tandon has to ensure that the party candidate wins, otherwise the onus of defeat would be on him. The prestige of Kalraj Mishra, MP, and former UP BJP president, is also at stake as he is incharge of Lucknow west elections. BJP's national general secretary and incharge of UP affairs, Arun Jaitley who played an important role in ticket distribution is also taking keen interest in the by-elections. Union Minister RPN Singh is also working very hard to ensure smooth sailing for his mother in the assembly seat in Deoria vacated by him.

Similarly, another Union Minister Pradip Jain, is also busy in his own home district Jhansi to see that the party candidate wins from the seat vacated by him.

The main issues which are dominating the campaign are criminal waste of crores for the construction of memorials and statues and breakdown of constitutional institutions, defiance of the judiciary by the government, deterioration in the law and order, atrocities on women and misuse of the Harijan Act.

In view of the complaints from Opposition parties about the misuse of official machinery, the Election Commission has decided to deploy central forces and para-military forces along with state police to ensure free and fair polls. (IPA)