Mubarak looks sure winner as heated Egypt campaign comes to an end

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his ruling party have had a rough nine months since the first group of Egyptians came out on the streets shouting "Enough" to 24 years of authoritarian government.

But Mubarak would be wrong to think a victory in Wednesday's first contested presidential elections will silence his critics or pave the way for a smooth succession by his politician son Gamal, analysts and opposition activists say.

Mubarak's many opponents will continue to contest the hasty constitutional arrangements that the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) put in place this year in response to unexpected foreign and domestic pressures, they say.

If they detect irregularities in the voting and counting, they will challenge the results through the legal system, casting doubt on Mubarak's legitimacy, reports Reuters.

According to Boston Globe, tens of thousands of diehard supporters of President Hosni Mubarak rallied last night at the close of a presidential campaign full of paradoxes, with Mubarak heralding a new chapter of political competition, even as he appeared to carefully control and dominate every aspect of the three-week contest.

Tens of thousands of diehard supporters of President Hosni Mubarak rallied last night at the close of a presidential campaign full of paradoxes, with Mubarak heralding a new chapter of political competition, even as he appeared to carefully control and dominate every aspect of the three-week contest.

The government set a campaign period of only three weeks, and according to opposition candidates and local human rights groups, the dominant state-controlled media has given more than 80 percent of its election coverage to Mubarak, helping guarantee that his opponents will barely register with the public.