Even though urban voters of Hauz Khas are a class apart from the rural belt of Nangloi, they are equally disillusioned with the BJP and Congress. ``We made Sahib Singh the king in hope that he would do something for us. Instead, he vitiated the atmosphere in our peaceful villages. He has introduced the politics of killing and rivalry among kinsmen,'' says Tekram, a landowner.

Interestingly, about 40 km away from the dusty tracts of Nangloi, an elderly Parsi lady, Vimla, who had migrated from Lahore and settled in Hauz Khas echoes the same sentiments. With the only difference that she blames both the political parties for the tension in the air.

``The younger generation is just not bothered, most don't know that there's a by-election on February 22. But elderly people like us cannot avoid the election atmosphere. It brings anti-social elements into the locality. What's the guarantee that a poisoning incident will not happen in my area this time? The Congress and BJP are fighting a bitter battle and they can go to any extent to win,'' she said.

The villagers of fortress-like Mundka -- Sahib Singh Verma's home turf where Samata Party candidate Ved Singh was killed during the last election and BJP Kishan Morcha district chief's brother was killed day before yesterday -- echoes the fears of the old lady in Hauz Khas main market.

Policemen on charpoi keep watch on villagers at every turn on the village road. ``Sahib Singh's nephews had some arguments with Kartar Singh's (another villager who has a criminal case pending against him) family in the court and they send these policemen,'' says Hem Raj, who runs a coaching centre in the area.

Congress supporters among the villagers, however, claim: ``The police chowki was posted after Sajjan Kumar complained that Congress workers were being threatened. We have seen it happen''.

Sajjan Kumar, who is no less notorious than Sahib Singh's family has a stronghold in the JJ-clusters of Nangloi. The villagers and traders of the area were originally pro-BJP.

``But now it is a 50-50 divide. Here we pay for the elections. And Sajjan has got Rs 1.80 lakh from our village, Sahib Singh Rs 1 lakh. And that's an indication,'' says village elder Chandra Bhan, sagely nodding his head.

And this is where urban Hauz Khas is a little different. ``The shopkeepers pay to both the parties because they don't want to take a risk. With a difficult summer in the offing they will need contacts to have their quota of electricity and water and do business,'' said Rajan Sharma, a resident of the area who cousin runs a sweet-shop.

But some other residents claim that both Congress and BJP are pumping in money and young blood into the economically backward parts of constituency. ``There is every sign that it's going to be a bloody by-election,'' said Jitendra, a resident of Ushuf Sarai.