Jun 30, 2009

What's in a name? Count for yourself

With the inauguration of yet another Rajiv Gandhi-named thingy, a look at the overall thingy leaderboard:

Rajiv Gandhi: 138
Chhatrapati Shivaji: 137
M.K.Gandhi: 68
Shakespeare: 1

With this, Rajiv Gandhi has taken a slender lead in the standings. With the Congress set to enjoy a full five year term at the Centre, he is likely to further strengthen his lead.

In the interest of keeping the drama in the race alive, certain people request you to vote for the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra.


Suggested supplementary reading:
* A New Indian Express article on Gandhi, Gandhi everywhere,
* Atanu Dey on this practice: 1, 2

Given this, one wonders if Mayawati's double-handed backhand of playing 'statue' is just another variant of this game of iconography. If so, she seems to get greater flak for merely not mastering the nuances of the game.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

I travel the Mahamaya flyover everyday...that's one to her tally

Mankutimma said...

Indira Gandy (or should I say Gandhi) does deserve a honorable mention in your post

J Ramanand said...

U: how much do you think she'll have to her name by the end of her career?

M: In a sense, this is all accruing to her too.

Unknown said...

As a ballpark figure, I'd say ~50- I'm sure she's got some 10 things to her name already...but then the question is do we also include "Gautam Buddha" as hers too? Every village in NOIDA has been renamed like say, "Gautam Buddha Gram Nithari" and if she goes her way, Haathi will soon become the national animal too (Kanshi Ram popularly is the national vegetable). Gosh with so much trivia, I must really like her :D

J Ramanand said...

Upasna: careful, or you'll be exiled!

BVHK said...

You mention Shakespeare and not Mohd. Rafi/Anil Kumble :(

J Ramanand said...

BVHK: Life is cruel.