Chandigarh: It's boomtime for singers and comedians. With the Punjab assembly polls just round the corner, and no particular issue generating heat, political parties of all persuasions are turning to them to enliven a lacklustre campaign.

A New Tune: Harbhajan Mann sings for Ramuwalia

Getting the political message across in an entertaining way is the challenge these comedians and musicians face. Leading the cast of those giving rivals fun for their money is balladeer-turned-politician and former Union minister Balwant Singh Ramuwalia whose rag-tag Lok Bhalia Morcha is trumpeting itself as "the third alternative" in the Punjab elections. If gadfly Ramuwalia's rallies look impressive, it's because he managed to rope in the likes of popular Punjabi pop singer Harbhajan Mann and cheeky comedian Bhagwant Mann for his campaign.

This time round, even the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (sad) has departed from its tradition of engaging religious balladeers, drafting instead television comedian Gurpreet Ghuggi for a satirical offensive against the Congress. Prominent singer Hans Raj Hans, who was recently designated "Raj Gayak" (state singer) by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, is expectedly playing the Akali tune at election rallies.

The Congress isn't far behind either. It has come out with an audio cassette titled Kartootan (Misdeeds) with barb-filled songs against the sad. The only jarring note, however, is that the cassette cover carries the photographs of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Punjab Pradesh Congress chief Amarinder Singh.

-Ramesh Vinayak

RAMESHWAR NATH KAO (1918-2002)

In Indian intelligence circles, some top officials are known simply as "Kaoboys". They are not mavericks, but are identified by their quiet behind-the-door operations that their mentor Rameshwar Nath Kao, the founder of India's counter-intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (raw), was famous for. Ramji, as he was called, died on January 20 aged 84. In his passing the country has lost the biggest name in the Indian intelligence community after B.N. Mullick, the founder of the Intelligence Bureau.

In a sense Kao was responsible for the creation of Bangladesh. Legend has it that the Americans were so impressed by the Indian intelligence support to the Mukti Bahini and the subsequent 14-day Bangladesh liberation war that the operation was taught to West Point cadets. "He was effective without being overbearing and did not tread on others to get things done," says a former raw special secretary. Kaoboy Vikram Sood, the present head of the agency, carries his legacy forward.

-Shishir Gupta

DIED: Makhan Singh, 65, gold medallist in the 4x400 m relay at the 1962 Asian Games, of cardiac arrest.

AWARDED: The Kavi Pradeep Shikhar Samman, to singer Usha Mangeshkar.

ANNOUNCED: Padma Bhushan for US Congressmen Gary Ackerman and Frank Pallone.

ISSUED: Non-bailable warrant against former Punjab chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal in a corruption case.

INSTRUCTED: Delhi Transport Corporation officials, by government, to travel in DTC buses.

AWARDED: To Kerala, prize for Best Tourism Performing State.

KILLED: In Assam, 17 Bihari labourers, by the Bodoland militants.

WON: The World Strength Building Championship, by S. Ramalingam, in Chennai.