Govt gets application for 'NaMo Tea Party' trademark

NEW DELHI: As BJP moves ahead with its 'chai pe charcha' initiative to amass support for its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, efforts are underway by some of his supporters to actually register a trademark for 'NaMo Tea Party'.

An application for registering 'NaMo Tea Party' as a trademark has been submitted to the government by a grouping with the same name.

The 'Chai pe Charcha' (discussion over tea) campaign was first launched by BJP to counter a jibe made by a Congress leader at Narendra Modi (NaMo) for selling tea in his earlier years. The trademark application has been filed by Ahmedabad- based Shailesh Tiwari, who calls himself convenor of 'Namo Tea Party' movement.

When contacted, Tiwari told PTI over phone that the logic behind the move to get 'NaMo Tea Party' trademark is to ensure that the idea is not taken by anyone else. There is no commercial motive behind the application, he added.

"The sole motive is to get Narendra Modi elected as Prime Minister by propagating Gujarat development model," he said.

Tiwari added that 'NaMo Tea Party' movement is a grouping of professionals and was formally started in May 2013. It is estimated to have thousands of volunteers.

The trademark application was filed on February 6 under the category of 'personal and social services rendered to meet the needs of individuals', according to information available with the Controller General of Patents Design & Trade Marks.

The patents office comes under the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

Tiwari said BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi is mentoring the grouping. As per its website, 'NaMo (Narendra Modi) Tea Party' is a grassroots movement for good governance.

Modi has been Chief Minister of Gujarat since 2001.