The main Afghan candidates addressed rallies attended by thousands of cheering supporters on Monday, the last day of campaigning for Thursday�s key presidential elections.
President Hamid Karzai, who has governed Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, is widely seen as the frontrunner.
But analysts say a strong campaign by former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah could force a run-off. More than 10,000 people attended his final rally at a Kabul stadium.
Ex-finance minister Ashraf Ghani addressed a rally of 5,000 people in the eastern Nangarhar province, vowing to tackle corruption and stimulate the economy.
Popular Kabul lawmaker Ramazan Bashardost has challenged President Karzai over his links with warlords.
Mr Karzai�s office said eight candidates had abdicated in his favour, still leaving about 30 contenders in the presidential race.
Afghanistan is expected to mobilise all available 300,000 Afghan and foreign security forces in a bid to protect voters, after the Taliban threatened to attack polling stations.
In preparation for the polls, Afghan officials dispatched donkey trains into northern mountain villages, laden with ballot boxes and voting papers.
Some 17 million voters are due to go to the polls on Thursday to elect a president for the second time in Afghanistan's history.
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