KOCHI: The Kochi Metro rail Limited, which had opened a social media poll on naming its mascot of Kochi Metro service, has dropped the plan. The highest number of people proposed ‘Kummanana,’ apparently after BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan, who managed an entry along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the inaugural ride.
The metro agency had invited a cute name for the baby elephant, its mascot, through its Facebook page and promised exciting prizes. The internet trolls hijacked the KMRL contest which was launched on November 30 and ended on December 4 in which 'Kummanana' got the maximum likes and shares. Those who liked and supported Kummanana asked the KMRL not to give any other name to the baby elephant.
There were other interesting entries such as Bablu, Kochaana, Jimbru Aanapainkili, and Kochuttan. The KMRL had asked to avoid clichéd names like Appu', 'Kuttan', Thoppi and the like. Meanwhile, a few suggested naming the mascot Bablu in memory of the migrant labourer who died during Metro construction works. KMRL sources said that the agency had dropped the plans to name the mascot as they have to name the mascot as ‘Kummanana’ as per the guidelines of the contest.
