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.

EYECATCHERS

Family In Harmony

It's a prolific season for the Mangeshkar family. While Asha Bhosle is turning composer with an eight-track romantic album Aap Ki Asha, sister Lata and music-composer brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar have teamed up-the last time they did so was for Lekin a decade ago-for Meera Soor Kabeera, a bhajan album. There's more: the song Dinanath ab bari tumhari is dedicated to father Dinanath Mangeshkar. To more family specials then.

Under Siege

David Dhawan's not the only one. Now add Hollywood's Under Siege action star Steven Seagal as well. When Miss World 2000 Priyanka Chopra glided up on stage at the First Annual Bollywood Fashion Awards in New York on April 27, Seagal, there to present his Tibetan clothing line, was taken in by the Indian beauty queen. Priyanka's father Ashok confirms Seagal was so impressed ("he said she looked like a goddess!") he offered her a role in his next production. Last heard, the lady has agreed "in principle" to do the role. But with eight films already on hand in apna Bollywood, it will be some juggling act.

Seeing Double

Sheth; and twins Radha and Krishna in the book

Ketaki Sheth was attending a party in Kent five years ago when she came across a London directory listing only Patels-with 25 Patel twins in Greater London alone. It set the Mumbai-based black and white photographer on a four-year quest of spotting Patel twins across the UK and 40 villages in Gujarat. The search, which she compares to "that of an anthropologist", resulted in her finding 125 pairs of Patel twins and a book, Twinspotting, released in Ahmedabad recently. Last month, 10 of its photographs were displayed at Tate Modern, London. From a London directory to a coffee-table book, some quest.

Power Games

Laloo	Pawar

If Manohar Joshi and Sharad Pawar can be presidents of the Mumbai Cricket Association, why can't Laloo Prasad Yadav be one in Bihar? The earthy politician, who never went beyond playing gilli-danda as a child, is contesting for presidentship of the Bihar Cricket Association on May 20. As chief minister, he often described cricket as nothing more than the "angrezi version of gilli-danda". His version has changed now. Laloo is sending a missive to the bcci that it can no longer ignore Bihar. "I've accepted this post in the interest of the state," he says. Politics. Cricket. Same thing.

Compiled by Methil Renuka

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