Number Of Narendra Modis & Rahul Gandhis Will Vote, But They're Not Who You Think They Are

Narendra Modi¡¯s Banarsi paan is apparently lajawab, so is the gupshup that follows. And Rahul Gandhi is a livewire among friends. Meet the NaMos and RaGas of Madhya Pradesh.

On the voters¡¯ list of Madhya Pradesh, which has 5.14 crore names, there are 13 people named either ¡®Rahul Gandhi¡¯ or ¡®Narendra Modi¡¯. Interestingly, the eight Rahuls are aged between 18 and 37 years and the five Narendras are between 35 and 58 years of age. Five of the Rahuls are aged below 27.

And their special names have added colour to their lives. Narendra Modi ¡®paanwallah¡¯ of Indore has smartly named his shop ¡®Narendra Modi Pan Dukaan¡¯.

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¡°Name is not an issue but, yes, it¡¯s fun to watch people do a double take when they see my signboard. Some people even ask for my identity card and I happily show them my Aadhar card which I always keep in my shop,¡± said Modi.

Asked if the gupshup ever veers around to politics after a bite of chuna and supari, he said, ¡°Oh, quite often.¡± The most common question is about black money, he says. ¡°Some friends casually joke ¡®black money kab ayega¡¯, and I reply with a smile. I say, let the black money come, everyone will get Rs 15 lakh. I am not interested in politics and am quite happy with my life,¡± he said.

So, has business boomed after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister? ¡°Business is the same. I have been making paans for two decades and have my loyal customers. But since Modiji has become PM, this name definitely draws curious customers to the shop. People from Gujarat, who hear of my shop, often drop by and take selfies with me,¡± he laughed.

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Rahul Gandhi of Bhopal knows something about double takes ¡ª every time he introduces himself, he is told to repeat it. An 18-year-old engineering fresher in Bhopal, Rahul says, ¡°The first intro with anyone new is really funny. People ask me twice, and I repeat my name with a smile. After the double introduction, things gradually become normal,¡± said the first-time voter.

¡°He¡¯s fun to be with,¡± said Rahul¡¯s classmate, Nishank. ¡°Sometimes we crack jokes at his expense, but he takes it sportingly.¡± Rahul smiled and said: ¡°They are friends, after all. We have fun among ourselves.¡±

Asked if he looks forward to the election., RaGa Bhopali said: ¡°Very much so. I am a first-time voter and will definitely get inked and selfied,¡± he said.

Another Narendra Modi, this time from Morena, says his name is a conversation starter. The 42-year-old told TOI: ¡°People smile when they hear my name. Around two years ago, I was at Mumbai airport and airline staffers were surprised to hear my name. Everyone at the counter came over to see my papers.

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When other passengers knew, they jokingly said, ¡®Today we will travel with Narendra Modi ji¡¯.¡± The dairy businessman enjoys the laughter and conversations that follow every time he introduces himself.

Of the eight Rahul Gandhis, two each are in Ralam and Balaghat, and one each in Bhopal, Indore, Satna and Hoshangabad. And of the five Narendra Modis, two are in Dewas and one each in Indore, Morena and Burhanpur.