Loyal tie

Birthday bashes of party leaders are not just a time to celebrate the achievements of the person concerned but also a reason for party workers to maximise their demonstration of loyalty to the boss. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati is known to be an enthusiastic recipient and close follower of these ritual observances, and her 57th birthday celebrations were no different. But even by those extreme standards, a Rajya Sabha BSP member of Parliament outdid himself in establishing his loyalty. He wore a tie printed all over with pictures of elephants, which is the BSP’s party symbol. No one could confirm, however, whether there were 57 elephants imprinted on the tie.