Akhilesh Yadav vs Rahul Gandhi

At rally after rally each tore into the other; Rahul even tore up paper on stage in a dramatic attack that had Akhilesh snigger, "Rahul seems angry. Earlier he used to get angry by folding hands, then he got angry by tearing up paper. Who knows, next time he might jump off the stage in anger."

In the run-up to the elections, Akhilesh has crisscrossed the entire state with a 10,000-km rath yatra and has held more than 800 rallies over the last six months. Those big numbers best Rahul Gandhi's not unimpressive effort to address 211 public rallies in 48 days. Akhilesh's election campaign was supported and nurtured by the Samajwadi Party cadre and candidates, whom he selected and then led with an iron hand. Rahul Gandhi's was more a one-man show - his party organization in the state is much weaker and had to battle rebellion and infighting - but a phalanx of high-profile Central leaders were at hand for ready back-up support.

Akhilesh Yadav is heir apparent to the Samajwadi Party throne. Rahul Gandhi is the crown prince of the Congress. There are some broad similarities. Both are members of Parliament from UP. Rahul, 41, is a two-time MP, having won in 2004 and then 2009 from his father's former seat Amethi. Akhilesh, 39, first became an MP in 2000, when he contested a by-election in Kannauj - a seat vacated by his father. He has been the Kannauj MP since.