New Delhi: If West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was ever to invite suggestions from people for a change of name for her state, she would have to sift through some very interesting options, sometimes bordering on the outlandish.
Tired of figuring last in the alphabetical list at any state conclave, Banerjee is gearing up to change the name of her state and for once has the support of the Left.
When we asked our readers on Facebook for suggestions for a possible new name for West Bengal, they sportingly rose to the challenge, tongue firmly in cheek, and came up with some gems.
There's a lot in a name
The probable names include Bengal, Banga and even Bangla. The new names of course will be decided after consultation with the opposition parties as well as experts from the civil society.
But the 'aam aadmi' is already divided in their choices. The die hard fans of cricketer Sourav Ganguly pitched in with 'Dadaland'. Of course. The IPL lovers on Facebook want to change West Bengal to Mamata Knight Riders.
The cynics pitched it with spin-offs on the current name of the state. Facebook user Chandrika Ramachandran called it Waste Bengal, Thakur Adhikari Bhoot Bangla and many started to circulate Bandh Pradesh. But Bangabhoomi and Sonar Bangla were popular too. But if the alphabet quagmire is to be beaten then West Bengal should ideally have a name starting with 'A'.
Sudhanshu Ojha on Facebook helpfully pointed out: "Mamata Di try to change the condition of state. Not the state's name." While Sansiddha Pani said "Mamta Di....out to win every race for her state's people.....even the alphabetical one."
"People doze off by the time our turn comes"
"We have seen in all state meets that our turn comes right at the end, we face grave problems. In fact people doze off when our turn comes. So changing a name will be better," said Partha Chatterjee, Industries Minister.
The earlier Left Front governments too wanted a name change on the same grounds and even passed resolutions in the state Assembly. But the idea had met with a dead end. State capital Calcutta was rechristened Kolkata in 2001.
Meanwhile suggestions for Mamtakhand, Mamatapur and Mamataland poured in. The unemployment issue prompted a viewer to suggest Bekaristan (Land of the unemployed) and the laid back bureaucratic work culture brought home the gem Rest Bengal.
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