CALCUTTA: Politicians have only won God: elections. Devout devotees that they are, those in Calcutta are even compromising on the Durga Puja, the Bengalis' greatest cultural and religious event, for the polls. Most organisers of the puja pandals here are Congress leaders and this time, they admit, they are cutting down on both funds and manpower.

Says Badal Bhattacharya, political secretary to the WBPCC president and general secretary of the 55-year-old, big-budget College Square Puja Samity: ``Every year, it's the businessmen who give us advertisements for our souvenirs, which is the main source of our income. But this year, as they have to fund elections too, they are not very willing to part with their money for pujas. As a result, we have to curtail our budget too.''

The party's leaders are sparing lesser men too for the pandals. Pradip Ghosh, leader of the Opposition Congress in the Calcutta Municipal Corporation and president of the Santosh Mitra Square Puja Samity, says: ``Iwon't have that much of a fund problem, but we have a shortage of manpower. Most of my boys will be engaged in elections and they will not be available for puja work.''

Meanwhile, the party is fighting a self-proclaimed Durga too. Congress rebels can be seen these days making a beeline for a well-known address in Kalighat, South Calcutta: the house of Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee.

BERHAMPUR: The motives may be different, but the spirit is the same. Politicians play bootleggers during polls, and now bootleggers are playing politicians. In Ganjam district of Orissa, illegal-liquor traders are using elections to boost their business. For the smooth transportation of contraband, they are pasting stickers saying ``On election duty, not to be detained'' on their trucks.

The practice came to light on Saturday after the police intercepted a truck carrying the label on National Highway 5 at Palu Chhak near here during a routine check and discovered the contraband liquor aboard it.Superintendent of Police of Ganjam district Y.B. Khurania says they seized liquor worth Rs 1 lakh and have arrested two persons in connection with the incident. He adds that the accused initially kept insisting that the vehicle was carrying election material. Wasn't it?

-- SABYASACHI BANDOPADHYAY AND AGENCIES