HEMACHANDRA VOTED OUT!!!!!

Total tally

When the results were tabled, Debojit (from Ismail Darbar's gharana) was the clear winner, with Vinit (from Himesh Reshammiya's gharana) came in second and Hemachandra in the last position.

Vote score (rounded off) was Debojit: 50 lakhs; Vinit: 46 lakhs and Hema Chandra: 32 lakhs.

"No regional voting," Aadesh protested that there had been too much regional voting in favour of Debojit, else he would not have beaten Hem. He demanded that the regional voting should be discarded for all the three finalists.

For continuity's sake

According to producer Gajendra, "Aadesh had a point when he said that the regional voting had tilted the scales in favour of Debojit, but how could we change the rules suddenly? The format has to be followed in the last rounds as well. You can't disrespect the 88 lakhs vote from zonal regions in favour of their respective local boy."

Mediators all

Tabu, the guest at the show, went all out to resolve the debate — but did not succeed. Only when Subhash Ghai and Akshaye Khanna came in later, the tempers cooled down. Says Gajendra, "Ghai was supposed to view the singing abilities of only the last two contestants.

But since Aadesh was too vociferous, he had to hear out all the three contestants." Subsequently, Ghai added that regional voting could not be sidelined on whim. The Showman's word was respected, and Hemachandra was declared to be out from the race.

Over two episodes

As per the original plan, Ghai's episode was to be telecast on Friday, and the results were to be announced on Thursday. Now, it will exhibit all the hungama of Aadesh rooting for Hemachandra, and the results will be clubbed in the Ghai's episode on Friday.

Couldn't meet deadline

Why can't the episodes be edited and Ghai's final call be inserted in the Thursday episode? Says an insider, "The Thursday tape had to be delivered by 7 pm.

If Aadesh hadn't put his foot down, we would have been through by 6 pm. The Thursday deadline could not be met. The jhagda reached a settlement point only at 10.30 pm." Gajendra adds, "Ghai has promised to give Hemachandra a chance to sing in his forthcoming ventures."

The finals Debojit and Vinit will be telecast live on February 24.