In UP town, Thackeray, Manmohan are blood brothers

In UP town, Thackeray, Manmohan are blood brothers

LUCKNOW: Here Jayalalithaa takes Bal Thackeray on her lap when he sobs, Manmohan Singh is fond of riding on

Mulayam Singh’s shoulders, while
Kalyan Singh and Rajnath Singh have no differences and love playing cricket with
Giani Zail Singh. The next one to join them could well be Mayawati.

Labourer Mithai Lal, 45, and his wife Chandrasena, 42, named their seven children after the political leaders as they believe that this would bring them good fortune. The couple expects one more child later this year and hopes it will be a girl so that it can name her after UP CM Mayawati. The family lives in Jalalpur town in UP’s Ambedkar Nagar district, 180 km from Lucknow. “As I firmly believe names can change one’s destiny, I named my six sons and one daughter after popular politicians of the country,’’ Mithai Lal said.

While 18-year-old Mulayam is the eldest son, the youngest, Bal Thackeray, is just five months. The others sons—Kalyan Singh, Zail Singh, Rajnath Singh and Manmohan Singh—are 16, 15, 13 and five, respectively. Jayalalitha is eight years old. “Despite coming from a Dalit community, but braving all odds, Behenji (Maya) emerged as one of the most powerful politicians of the country. We too belong to the community and want to have a daughter who could make her parents feel proud like Mayawati,’’ Chandrasena said.

While it remains to be seen whether the children will be able to live up to their names, all of them have become quite popular in the district, and Jalalpur is now known as the town where the “politicians’ family’’ lives.