Tamil Nadu's 39 Lok Sabha seats and the fact that it is the fifth-largest state in terms of representation in the Lok Sabha, make it electorally important enough, and this can be seen in the way both the BJP and the INDIA alliance have been making it a focus of their campaigns. What makes it indispensable in these general elections, however, is that the state may hold the key for the BJP if it wants to get anywhere close to its stated target of 370 seats on its own and has, thus, seen the opposition direct all its energies into keeping the party out.