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“People are more aware now. Media, be it print, television or radio has been talking elections and the people know electing good candidates helps in changing their lives,” he said. He hoped voters would not be turned away because of problems with the electoral rolls.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made this a battle of prestige after he swept the Lok Sabha polls. Modi has carried the BJP’S campaign on his shoulders, holding 27 rallies across the state. The BJP seeks a clear majority in Maharashtra, a Congress bastion and headquarters of the RSS, where it has never been in power on its own.

“Modi is clearly looking at single party dominance across the country and that’s at the heart of breaking the alliance with the Shiv Sena. It is being said that BJP will make it as the single largest party with 120-plus seats. If it can come to power on its own, it will be the end of coalition governments in the state. But, if not, the BJP will approach the Sena as a natural ally,’’ said political analyst Prakash Bal.

Modi, on his part, has studiously avoided criticising the Shiv Sena. It remains to be seen whether Sena will swallow its pride and toe the line.

The end of alliances between national and regional parties could lead to the formation of a new regional front with the NCP, the Shiv Sena and the MNS coming together. This has already been indicated during the poll campaigns with all three parties targeting the BJP and Modi more than each other.

“If the NCP comes fourth as is being predicted by some surveys, the party’s survival is difficult. It remains to be seen how long Sharad Pawar can keep his flock together. So, if there is an opportunity to cobble together an alliance he will do that,’’ said Bal.

The Shiv Sena and the MNS too may find it beneficial to join forces against an aggressive and expansionist BJP. More so, if there’s an opportunity to form the government.

The Congress has not ruled out tying up the NCP once again, though privately most senior leaders will admit that they are glad the alliance broke. The Congress’ revival post the Lok Sabha rout will hit a roadblock if it loses its biggest state in these elections.

“It will be a huge blow if we lose badly. But, we are hoping to do better than both regional parties and if the NCP does badly, as is being our party. If we do reasonably well, we are not ruling out an alliance with the NCP. It’s our only natural ally,’’ said a senior Congress leader. The BJP did well in Haryana for the first time in this year’s Lok Sabha polls, winning 7 out of 8 seats it contested. However, since several Congress leaders have jumped on the BJP bandwagon, it remains to be seen how crucial they prove to its prospects and how eventually the party handles them after the elections.

For Om Prakash Chautala’s INLD, it is a do or die battle this time around. The party is passing through its worst phase following the sentencing of Chautala and his elder son, Ajay Singh, for 10 years each in a corruption case. Chautala’s younger son, Abhay Singh, has been steering the party in his absence.

The INLD can seek solace in the fact that it could win two Lok Sabha seats despite the absence of top leadership. But having remained out of power for 10 years and with Chautala being in jail, the