BJP faces the odds

36 hours before the polls open for the 14th Lok Sabha, bookies have confirmed the odds for bets on results. The news is good for the BJP, but not ecstatic, reports The Asian Age. A rupee bet on the BJP winning 175 seats is fetching between 20 and 25 paise, which means the bookies are certain that the BJP will win a minimum of 175 seats. For 200 seats, however, they are offering between Rs 1.60 and Rs 1.80 – which means while the figure is achievable, it will require effort.

Sangma vs Sangma

It might be a perilous fight on Tuesday when Garo voters will have to choose between Purno A Sangma, elected seven times from Tura constituency and former Lok Sabha Speaker, and his namesake and clansman, Mukul Sangma, Meghalaya's Congress minister for public works. Some polling areas are infested with bandits, others with elephants. No one knows which presents the greater danger, reports The Telegraph.

'Munnabhai' backs dad

Going against Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's wishes, Sanjay Dutt for the first time campaigned for his father and Congress member of Parliament from Munbai North West, Sunil Dutt, on Sunday, reports The Times of India. Thackeray had helped Dutt Jr when he was arrested in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case. The actor, who is riding a wave of success after Munnabhai MBBS, had then said he had never campaigned for anybody and would stick to his policy.

Parties online

The Congress party and the Bharatiya Janata Party are not the only ones to take to the Internet in a big, even parties like the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party, not exactly known to be tech-savvy, have their official web sites, reports The Indian Express.

Women make their own choice

Womenfolk seem to have come out of their shell in Telangana. They no longer go by men's diktats, at least in so far as exercising their franchise, reports The Deccan Chronicle.

To ban or not to ban exit polls

The Union law ministry is understood to have sought the opinion of the attorney-general on the issue of banning exit and opinion polls, reports Deccan Herald.

In bandit country

The Hannur assembly segment in Chamarajnagar, better known as Veerappan territory, is witnessing one of the most interesting, if not crucial, fights in Karnataka. For, making a determined bid to enter the state assembly on a Janata Dal-Secular ticket is Parimala, widow of Nagappa, one-time minister and Veerappan's victim, reports The Statesman.

Breaking down the opinion polls

Between Thursday and Saturday last week, as many as five new nationwide forecasts have been released by the media. The Hindu cuts a path through the facts and figures.

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