Both Congress and BJP burnt midnight oil to finalise their list while BSP went ahead with changing candidates several times after jumping the bandwagon in early April. BJP fielded all its 19 sitting MLAs while Congress dropped three of its 47 legislators from the fray.

BJP chose "energetic" Saket MLA Vijay Jolly to take on Dikshit in New Delhi constituency while Congress preferred a lightweight Jitender Kochar, former Leader of House of MCD, to fight Malhotra in Greater Kailash seat.

Though there were no surprises in the candidates list, Congress fielded a retired IPS officer Amod Kanth from Sangam Vihar to cash in on migrant voters.

While BJP did not chose any councillors despite their keenness to fight the elections, Congress gave a chance to about half-a-dozen corporators to test waters.

The intense campaigning was marked by hundreds of election rallies, street meetings and door-to-door canvassing by over 800 candidates for 70-member assembly.

The terror attacks may affect the turnout of the voters in the capital on Saturday even as leaders of political parties have appealed to the electorates not to be cowed down by any threats and exercise their franchise without any fear.

However, all eyes are on BSP, which is contesting in all the 70 seats riding on its social engineering formula, after the party improved its tally in the MCD from two to 17 last year.

The BSP has managed to rope in some Congress rebels to support it, including former MLA Netaji Ram Singh who is contesting from Badarpur. BJP leaders believe that if BSP could poll over 2,500 votes in a constituency, it could act to its advantage.

... contd.