Comedy of errors – The new HP Governor is Urmila Singh not Urmilaben!

It’s Comedy of error, thanks to similar name of two leaders and also thanks to “Breaking news” crazy we – the media.

The actual declared name of new Himachal Pradesh Governor is Urmila Singh who is Congress Working Committee(CWC) member from Madhya Pradesh and not Urmilaben Patel, widow of former Gujarat Chief Minister Chimanbhai Patel.

First it was published on Friday on several TV news channels and also some publications including DeshGujarat that Urmilaben Patel would possibly become Himachal Pradesh’s Governor. Then on Saturday almost all news media units including highly trusted holy cow – Press Trust of India(PTI), Divya Bhaskar, Etv, Aaj Tak, DeshGujarat and many other media sites published quoting sources in Congress party that Urmilaben Patel’s name was fixed as new Governor of Himachal Pradesh.

Soon after this, Urmilaben Patel’s Ahmedabad’s Satellite area residence experienced flood of media units with cameras and women activists involved in Urmilaben’a NGOs with bouquets and “congratulations.” Some local Congress workers started dreaming a VIP vacation in Simla in next summer. However Urmilaben and her son Siddharth Patel,(President of Gujarat Congress) were not ready to say anything on camera. Persons close to them told the media persons that they were waiting for official declaration.

Finally late in the night on Saturday when the names new appointed Governors were declared officially, the name of Himachal Pradesh’s new Governor was mentioned as “Urmila Singh” and not “Urmilaben Patel.” Still some TV channels continued to mention it as “Urmilaben Patel”, but later they corrected it to “Urmila Singh”. However The Times of India’s Ahmedabad edition published “Narayanan is WB guv, Urmila Patel for Himachal” news on front page with Urmilaben Patel’s photograph. This might have resulted into a new bunch of “Congratulation” messages coming in Patel’s phone.

Urmila Singh is Congress Working Committee(CWC) member from Madhya Pradesh.

So clearly this was the case of similar names being mistaken by wide number of media houses including we at DeshGujarat. This was surely an irresponsible miss-communication. Good luck next time Urmilaben and yes wish you best Urmila Singh.