India is a land of intense politics and colourful election campaigns. When it comes to Bihar, the battle gets more fierce, and the colours brighter. Though the state is witnessing its toughest contest since 2005 when it had voted for change, and one of the toughest in its political history, the colours have faded a bit.
While politicians criss cross the state for campaign, shopkeepers put the blame on the tough stance taken by the Election Commission on election goodies and other material.
From party-coloured badges to flags to wrist bands and caps, the articles that were used in abundance until the last elections are now mostly lying unsold and unused in stores at party offices. Be it the ruling Janata Dal United (JDU) and its partner Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), or arch rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stores have been installed at all party offices, with the latest edition of campaigning materials. But most of it is lying unsold.
Those who have witnessed the traditional methods of electioneering are aware that colourful badges, bands and flags have ruled the roost when it comes to campaigning at the grassroot level. These articles are distributed among voters primarily in villages to engage and attract them. These materials are often distributed among the kids in the villages as well, who use them as toys, and in the course of playing with these ‘toys’, they act as a tool to popularise the party symbols and the leaders.
While the sale of such articles is seeing a probable all-time low, it has not deterred the parties to come up with some new tools to attract the voters this election season.
Since the advent of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Indian political picture, the culture of ‘topi’ has made a sort of comeback. And this time around, almost all the parties have come up with their edition of the traditional ‘Nehru topi’, painted in party colours with their name and election symbol printed on the side.
Apart from these, stores of different parties have their own highlights. While it is the popular white lotus symbol of BJP, which had once courted controversy for Prime Minister Narendra Modi during 2014 Lok Sabha election, it is a green full sleeved Lalu t-shirt for the RJD. The Congress, which is no longer a major player, has come up with its own edition of white hand symbols, strikingly similar to the BJP’s lotus.
And how can one miss an all-new hair clutcher introduced by the Congress party. Bordered with golden metal, these clutchers have a hand symbol right at the middle.
The badges have also been introduced in different shapes and sizes. While the bulk is the conventional round ones, there are rectangular as well as heart shaped badges.
There are also demo versions of EVMs, which according to the sellers are meant to educate the rural voters.
According to the sellers, apart from the diktats of the Election Commission, the police personnel are also not letting party workers get away with these goodies. Authorities fear that these articles may lure and influence voters.
Sooraj Singh, who has been running a store at the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) for the past 30 years, says, “We have never seen such low scale of sale during any of the elections in the past. Things that actually influence the voters make their way while such harmless articles are lying unsold here.”
His sentiments are echoed by Mukesh, who manages a store at the RJD office. he says, “We are hardly able to sell anything to the workers who come from different parts of the state. We want to sell, party workers want to buy, but Election Commission has made things tough for us.”
He, however, adds, “Thanks to the parties as they buy bulk of articles for their rallies and take them to the regions when the leaders travel to these areas. At least we can earn our livelihood this way.”
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