Booth capture without guns

BJP workers in the Patna assembly constituency in Orissa's Keonjhar district have hit upon a novel way to capture votes. 'If you hit any button other than the lotus (the BJP's symbol), you will get a shock,' they have told the illiterate tribals, reports Deccan Chronicle.

Shiv 'can win' Khera

You can win author enters the fray as an Independent candidate from South Delhi. Pitted against him are the BJP's V K Malhotra and the Congress party's R K Anand, but Khera is naturally unfazed, reports The Hindustan Times.

Saffron vs saffron

Saffron farmers in Kishtwar in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, are turning against the BJP, for the central government's liberal import policy has led to a flood of imported saffron, reports The Hindu.

Faith dealer

Dharam Dev, INLD candidate from Mahendragarh, dispenses religious discourse but never asks people to vote for him. His political philosophy is gaining quite a few converts, says The Indian Express.

Congress's G-force

Buoyed by the exit poll results that show the NDA to be slipping, the Congress party has decided to not only throw its two young mascots -- Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi -- into the hurlyburly of the election campaign, but also unleash its other youth leaders, reports The Times of India.

1996 again?

Regional parties and the Left will stake a claim to head a non-BJP government if they cross the 100-mark in the Lok Sabha, reports The Asian Age.

Return of the patriarch

With former chief minister Digvijay Singh deciding not to hold public office for 10 years after he was voted out of power in December, it's time for the return of Arjun Singh to state politics, reports The Telegraph.

PC on the road

There are few buntings and festoons at Meippal village to indicate that the suave Karaikudi Chettiar (caste leader) was campaigning here. The only suggestion of any unusual activity in this hamlet near Madurai in Tamil Nadu is a short line of cars and a blaring loud speaker, reports The Statesman from Sivaganga constituency.

Political remixes

You have been struck by Bollywood remixes, now get ready for political remixes, reports Deccan Herald. Leading the pack are Mulayam Singh Yadav and George Fernandes, the latter not to be confused with Remo Fernandes.

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India Votes 2004 l The Rediff Specials