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.

NEWSNOTES

Voices

"My cause is the secular cause. Hares and hounds will take care of themselves."
P.V. Narasimha Rao, former prime minister, rejecting charges that his government's doublespeak—running with the hare and hunting with the hound—caused the Babri Masjid demolition.

"The DMK is not the Sankara Mutt that the successor has to be nominated in advance."
M.K. Stalin, Chennai mayor, refuting charges that he is to take over as DMK president from his father, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

"Everyone knows that she will stop at nothing. She now says someone tried to burn her to death. All I can say is, 'May God forgive her'."
Buddhadev Bhattacharya, West Bengal chief minister, responding to Trinamool Congress President Mamata Banerjee's claim that her life was under threat.

"My conscience is clear. I have nothing to be scared of except the Mumbai Police."
Nadeem Saifi, music director and accused in the Gulshan Kumar murder case, in an interview to The Sunday Times.

"Antony's statement that the Congress is not averse to taking BJP votes shows that it has to depend on our votes."
Jana Krishnamurthy, President, BJP.

"All that we have said is that we are prepared to accept votes from anybody if offered without condition."
A.K. Antony, Senior Congress leader.

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