Varanasi: Ahead of BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's visit on Thursday, the poll fever in Varanasi has entered totally uncharted territories of rotis, laddoos, balloons, bricks and jackets. BJP supporters are placing mass orders of many products with 'NaMo' mark on it while makers of these items are happily reciprocating to cash in on these 'electoral gains'.
Modi will address two rallies on Thursday to canvass support for his Lok Sabha fight, while he is also expected to participate in Ganga arti - a daily ritual on the Ganga ghats in Varanasi every evening.
He is expected to address the public first at Rohaniya (a rural area in the outer region of Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency and a bit away from the main city) and later at highly-populated Beniya Bagh within the city.
Incidentally, both Rohaniya and Beniya Bagh have significant population of Muslim community, whose votes are being targeted by all non-BJP parties while Modi has also said earlier that Muslims of Varanasi would love him when he comes to Varanasi.
In the meantime, some dhabas are even putting the 'NaMo' mark and BJP's Lotus symbol on rotis made for customers, although there have also been instances when customers have refused to eat at such stalls after being served these items. Taking a cue from Western countries, including the US Presidential election, election merchandising has emerged as a major trend in the ongoing elections.
While Aam Aadmi Party has also tried to make use of various merchandise such as caps, T-shirts and their election symbol 'broom', it is the supporters of BJP and Modi who have taken a big lead on this front.
As a result, a number of products in markets in Varanasi are being sold with the 'NaMo' - now famous initials for Narendra Modi - mark, ranging from bricks to balloons to laddoos to jackets and other merchandise.
Comments
0 comment