Business of Poll-itics

Mansinghji ,who volunteers for a national political party,heaved his bulk on to a cycle rickshaw outside the Chawri Bazaar Metro Station,and asked the driver to take him to Sadar Bazaar. As the ride progressed,he went over his “to-do” list for the day. Shopping,arranging for transport of his ‘men’ to remote villages in Uttar Pradesh and finally,making arrangements for a rally. As the cycle-rickshaw came to a halt,he walked into a cramped 10×30 space,spilling with flags,banners,posters,pins and buttons — all screaming out one thing — “Vote For Our Party”. There are about 10 such shops on the main street,where Rahul Gandhi is placed cheek-by-jowl with L K Advani,and the elephants,lotuses,cycles and hands are all lying neatly packed and stacked. The shops,sporting signs such as “Chunaav samagri uplabdh” (poll paraphernalia available) and “jhande hi jhande” (flags for sale) have been in the business for more than five decades,catering to the Delhi market as well as neighbouring states. Saurabh Gupta,of Anil Bhai Rakhi Wala in Tooli Chowk,says,“The volunteers come to us with a write-up and pictures. We clean up the grammar,photoshop the pictures,design the banners as per their theme and finally send them out for printing.” At Gupta’s shop,Mansinghji looks at the various flags and buttons on display. The buttons seem to satisfy him,for he orders them by hundreds,priced between 50 paise to Rs 3 each. For the flags,he would check the next shop perhaps. With the assembly elections in the five states going on,one would expect the business to be booming. But this time,the Election Commission (EC) has put a ceiling of Rs.16 lakh campaign expenditure per candidate. Consequently,the business isn’t that brisk this time. Mahesh Bhai Rakhi Wala,a shop-owner in the vicinity,rues this. “The general trend for everyone here was to print the material in advance. We would get them printed by the lakhs so that during polls,party people can simply walk in and buy,” he explains. But this time,his material doesn’t have many takers. “Neither me nor anybody else has any use for these things now. Here,take them if you like,” he says to us,still gazing at the busy street outside,hoping someone walks

in to buy his merchandise.

* Some names have been changed upon request