Name game in Ambedkar Nagar: 'Mulayam', 'Manmohan' vote for BJP

Bal Thackeray pesters Giani Zail Singh for a cricket bat and is asked by Manmohan Singh to focus on his studies instead.

It’s not an all-party meeting of politicians from the present and the past. The scene is being played out at the home of Mithai Lal, 57, in a village called Hyderabad under Jalalpur assembly constituency in Ambedkar Nagar. Mithai Lal, a farmer, named his seven children after politicians – across political parties and states – so that they get “respect”.

His other children are Mulayam Singh, Kalyan Singh, Rajnath Singh and daughter Jayalalithaa, who died in 2013.

When asked to whom they have voted in the assembly polls on Thursday, Zail Singh said, "We have got a number of benefits from the government, and hence, supported it."

The family has also got the house under the PM Awas Yojana.

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Mulayam Singh runs a medical shop in Ambedkar Nagarr, while Kalyan Singh works in a factory in Dadri (Gautam Buddh Nagar), which manufactures different accessories used in CCTV cameras.

Giani Zail Singh owns a furniture shop, while Rajnath Singh works in a factory in Haryana. Manmohan Singh and Bal Thackeray are school going students.

On why he chose such high-profile names, Mithai Lal told PTI, "During my school days, my classmates used to make fun of my name ... the entire class and sometimes even the teacher would laugh which would last for around 10 minutes. I felt deeply insulted."

"It was roughly around that time the idea struck my mind...my children should not be insulted like me. Subsequently, I named my children on prominent politicians, so that they get much more respect than what I got," he says.

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Endorsing his father's opinion, Manmohan Singh says, "At times, people ask me 'are you Manmohan Singh?' However, the name is so strong that everybody at least takes cognizance of me."

To this Mithai Lal says, "My endeavour is that my children should take pride in their name, and I think that they are getting respect."

Mulayam Singh said, "My father always said that draw inspiration from the leaders you have been named after, and work to succeed in life. We may not move ahead of the leaders we are named after, but at least stay in the vicinity of their legacy, and do something in life."

He also said that he has named his son Akhilesh.

Even as the children discuss the ongoing elections in the district, their mother Chandrasena smiles at them.

Barring Thackeray, both Manmohan and Zail Singh know something about the leaders they are named after.

"Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister of India for two terms," said the namesake of the former PM.

"I want to clear competitive examinations, and get a government job to support my family," he said.

Giani Zail Singh, who has started his furniture shop, said, "Gradually, I want to increase the size of my shop and also the ambit of its business."

However, Bal Thackeray, when asked about his future plans, said, "I want to be a cricketer, and play for India."

As Bal Thakeray was unveiling his future plans, Manmohan Singh and Giani Zail Singh intervened, and said that studies are equally important, and he (Thakeray) should pay attention to it as well.

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