Thursday 7 June 2012

Tamil Nadu farmer gunning for top job

K S Thangavel alias Govanam (apparently it translates to loin cloth in Tamil), is running for India's top job.  He has unsuccessfully attempted to be elected to a political role in the last 20 years, but this has not deterred him from trying for India's top job.  The President post is up for grabs as the member of parliament are not seeing eye to eye on any of the current names that have been forward, so some pundits reckon Gavanam has a chance.  To further his chances, Mr Thangavel has put up his own web site to promote his views and accomplishments.  Mr Thangavel has adopted the pseudonym of Gavanam as a symbol of farmer's plight which is in stark contrast to the increasingly upwardly mobile urban working class who are reaping the benefits of the country's economical success.
I have to say that having first dismissed the stories in the papers, I am now rather impressed by Mr Thangavel's effort to promote his aspirations.  Even if his chances of being selected to the post (India does not elect the president) are slim, he will have succeeded in getting plenty of attention from the media which may still serve him well in his bid for local elections.  Although I have to wonder, suppose he did get selected, would he retain loin cloth for state functions?


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