With the last date of withdrawing nominations over on Saturday, they are locked in a virtual straight contest for the first phase of polling on September 5.

Advani had won this seat twice earlier by defeating his nearest Congress rival PK Dutta by a margin of 1.20 lakhs votes in 1998, and GI Patel, ex-MP of Congress, by a margin of 1.30 lakh votes in 1991.

In between, Atal Bihari Vajpayee too had won this seat in 1996 by defeating his nearest Janata Dal candidate Popatlal Patel by huge margin of 1.80 lakh votes. But he preferred to quit this seat and retain Lucknow which he had won simultaneously. In the by-election, Vijay H Patel of the BJP defeated film star Rajesh Khanna with a much narrower margin of about 60,000 votes.BeforeSeshan's name was announced by the Congress on the penultimate day of filing nominations, the general feeling in the party camp here was who would be the scapegoat to face a political magnet like Advani.

At one time, former chief minister Chhabildas Mehta, belonging to the erstwhile Janata Dal (Gujarat) faction, apparently not happy about Vaghela's joining the Congress, suggested that latter should take on Advani. However, the party decided to field Vaghela from thee safe Kapadwanj seat.

Seshan's joining the political arena came as a pleasant surprise to Congress supporters as it was sure to add excitement and colour to electioneering made dull by his own rules as CEC seven years back. Given his characteristic affable mannerism, the party may even ask him to campaign for candidates in other constituencies.

Interestingly, the once tough CEC shed his infamous arrogance no sooner than he has landed here on Tuesday. The person who used to detest politicians and snub journalists at the slightest provocationsuddenly metamorphosed into a media-friendly politician, ever willing to mingle with the party workers sans the security ring.