How to do business - Laloo style!!

In India, it's the election time, and no matter whatever the politicians say or promise these days, everthing is taken with a pinch of salt!

However, one politician stands apart in this political mumbo-jumbo! That's Laloo Prasad Yadav!

Over the years this one politician has created a personal brand for himself - for the good and the bad reasons - in his own way. The more the Indians wrote him off, the more popular he became! His Hindi one liners, spoken in his impeccable accent, was closely observed and followed by the host and actor Shekhar Suman, also from Laloo's very own Patna, in the highly popular TV show "Movers and Shakers"(see clip).

Similarly Laloo's style of self-trumpeting also took him out of the political clutter, and positioned him as one of the wittiest ones in recent times! He was once quoted as saying "I'm not a king! I'm a king-maker!"

Additionally, Laloo's own style of driving The Indian Railways into profitability in more than 40 years of the history of the public sector, has surely given him accolades from the business community and management schools as well! The turnaround of the Indian Railways is now being studied by the students of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. He was invited by Indian Institute of Management to talk about his strategy, which was mutually an enjoyable experience for both the parties! Further, he has received invitations from 8 Ivy League schools for lectures. He also addressed over a hundred students from Harvard, Wharton and others in Hindi.

I guess this facet of Laloo has inspired the business and marketing community to cook up witty jokes highlighting one business aspect each time. I came across one, which is reproduced here in it's totality (without editing):

Laloo talks with his son...

• Laloo : I want you to marry a girl of my choice
• Son : "I want to choose my own bride".
• Laloo : "But the girl is Ambani's daughter."
• Son : "Well, in that case..."

Laloo then approaches Mukesh Ambani...

• Laloo : "I have a husband for your daughter."
• Ambani : "But my daughter is too young to marry."
• Laloo : "But this young man is a vice-president of the World Bank."
• Ambani : "Ah, in that case..."

Finally Laloo goes to see the president of the World Bank...

• Laloo : "I have a young man to be recommended as a vice-president."
• President : "But I already have more vice-presidents than I need."
• Laloo : "But this young man is Ambani's son -in-law"
• President : "Ah in that case. . . . "

Well... won't you agree that this is how deals are done in the business world? I suspect, Laloo ran his empire exactly this way, and hence this joke is floating around!