The hills of Meghalaya and Darjeeling are on fire again. And this time it is the microphone and not the gun that has swept lakhs into hysteria. At the centre of this mass mania are two youngsters from Shillong and Darjeeling who have crooned their way to the top of Indian Idol, a singing competition hosted by a TV channel, fuelling a desperation in these two hill cities for a truly national youth icon — perhaps for the first time in their insurgency-riddled histories. Perfectly sober people, including senior bureaucrats and ministers, are doing bizarre things to get either Amit Paul from Shillong or Prashant Tamang from Darjeeling voted as India's next singing sensation. Announcements are being made during football matches, marriage ceremonies and birthday parties to see either of the two singers through. Some ministers are exhorting voters to send SMSs in favour of their favourite crooner; others have booked PCOs for the job. Even former militants are allegedly browbeating residents to vote for the local star. Paul was recently anointed the "brand ambassador of Meghalaya for peace, communal harmony and excellence" by chief minister DD Lapang