Two Winners And A Photo Finish
According to the INDIA TODAY-ORG-MARG opinion poll, there will be clear winners in two states, but a tight finish in a third.

The Last Rampage
To offset
J. Jayalalitha's slight edge, a pugnacious M. Karunanidhi gives it his all in what is his final electoral campaign.

The Sixth Sense
A mercurial Mamata Banerjee vs a dependable Buddhadev Bhattacharya. The mismatch leaves the Left Front with a premonition of victory.

Secular Stake
Even as the Church makes a blatant move to play a more political role in the state, the CPI(M) nominates a priest to woo minorities.

One Man Barmy
India's apex social sciences facilitating body is rocked by civil war: the chairman says he is being opposed by both RSS ideologues and leftist academics.

Changing Order
An ageing profile and a frustrated officer corps leads the force to consider VRS and restructuring.

Liquid Asset
The Rs 700-crore industry has attracted many players. Now, purity will decide who stays in business.

Board Of No Control
Tax authorities say the BCCI spends more money on meetings than on matches.

CAPLOOKS

Pulling Their Weight

Delhi: The Congress has hit upon a novel way of campaigning for votes. No longer content with its chief ministers getting away with merely depositing money in the party coffers, it has now asked them to visit state capitals to address election meetings. The fiat has led to piquant situations. Chief ministers Digvijay Singh, Vilasrao Deshmukh and S.M. Krishna are now addressing meetings in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. Is it the onset of collective leadership in the party? Not really. Party circles say it's only Sonia Gandhi's way of saying she is no longer a star campaigner willing to take responsibility for victories and defeats at the hustings.

Voice From The Past

Chennai: While campaigning in Andipatti constituency last week, AIADMK chief J. Jayalalitha decided to have lunch on board her special campaign vehicle, keeping a 500-strong crowd at the corner meeting waiting. As the wait got longer, the organisers decided to play a recorded speech of Amma. "I have decided to join hands with the BJP," her voice came clear over mangled loud speakers. It took a few minutes for the assembled to realise that the speech was recorded in 1998 when the AIADMK was a part of the NDA at the Centre.

Guest At The Raj Bhavan

Hyderabad: For a governor, Andhra Pradesh's C. Rangarajan has an immense reservoir of patience. He has been staying in a guest suite of the Hyderabad Raj Bhavan after a portion of the ceiling of his bedroom came crashing down while he was asleep. He was annoyed by the callous maintenance of the palatial bungalow but kept his cool, hoping that things would improve. But the cash-strapped Government of N. Chandrababu Naidu is taking its time and for the eighth month now, the governor is a guest in his own house.

Swadeshi Solution

Lucknow: Most chief minister's flaunt their fondness for technology but Uttar Pradesh's Rajnath Singh is different. In a state where electricity is perennially in short supply, you would expect Singh to install a genset at his house to tackle power cuts. Instead he has decided to have an ox-driven generator. Jai swadeshi.

MetroScape

Bond Free
The Savoy in Mussoorie must be the only hotel, apart from the Raffles in Singapore, to have a thing about writers. So, it was quite kismet when publisher Pramod Kapoor of Roli Books and author Namita Gokhale, who has an imprint with him, hosted the Ruskin Bond Festschrift—a Writers' Retreat in honour of that gentle Indian Roald Dahl, Ruskin Bond.
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Looking Glass

Delhi Cinema:
Canadian film festival

Delhi Art Fest:
Documenta

Bangalore Play:
Little Theatre