If Mamata Banerjee shares the dais with the actor-candidate and says "Dev khub bhalo chhele' oke vote debe', the Ghatal contestant's managers will have to reach for the calculator.

If Brinda Karat holds a rally with Subhashini Ali, the Left Front's Barrackpore nominee, and a supporter holds up the candidate's picture, it will tell on Subhashini's poll expense limit.

But if Sonia Gandhi simply stands near Mohammad Kaif on a Phulpur stage and does not utter his name, the cricketer's poll expenses meter may not tick.

From this general election, star campaigners' expenses will be considered as that of the candidates if it is established that votes were canvassed not just for a party but also for individual contestants. Till now, expenditure incurred by star campaigners --  a select group nominated by each party '" was counted as that of the organisation. Read