New Delhi:
Campaigning ends on Monday evening for the fifth and the final phase of polls. Seven states including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Puducherry, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh go to polls on May 13. Eighty-six constituencies will vote in this phase.
The Sri Lankan Tamil crisis is the main issue in Tamil Nadu these elections. Karunanidhi, Jayalalithaa and Vaiku are all trying to whip up emotions about the humanitarian crisis.
In the capital, Chennai, the three critical constituencies are, south, north and central Chennai where Dayanidhi Maran of the DMK is contesting from.
The other big names are Union Minister P Chidamabaram from Sivaganga, Karunanidhi's son M K Azhagiri from Madurai and Vaiko from Virudhnagar.
Apart from the Sri Lankan issue, water and power shortage are other main problems. Both West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are the biggest swing states in the elections this time and are crucial for the UPA.
Eleven constituencies in West Bengal, including the high profile Kolkata south seat, from where Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee is contesting, goes to polls on the May 13.
Mamata is contesting for the sixth time in a row from south Kolkata. The constituency has undergone a sea change after delimitation with five new assembly segments added. Mamata would face her old CPM rival Rabin Deb.
It's a crucial phase of elections for both the Left and the Congress-Trinamool combine. In 2004, the Left had won 10 of the 11 seats but with Nandigram and Singur haunting the Left, it will be a make or break for both sides.