Lok Sabha elections 2014: Tea bags, mangalsutras are the new flavour of poll publicity material

New Delhi: In Sadar Bazar, traders of election paraphernalia have ramped up their business by coming up with innovative items. The demand for flags, caps and mufflers is still high, though they are passé. But now, one can also get Rahul Gandhi car fresheners to clean the corrupt air, BJP and Congress mangalsutras and bindis and Modi teabags for some politically flavoured tea. Then there are Gandhi and Modi 3D fans to keep you cool in the hot political atmosphere.

With his phone perpetually ringing as the orders pour in, trader Mahinder Arora has asked his employees to work overtime. He has been in this profession for almost two decades. His shop was overflowing with election material. Flags, masks, caps are the best selling items. “Till last year, AAP caps and flags were most in demand, but now it’s BJP,” he said.

The increase of election budget to Rs 70 lakh has brought a relief to these traders. “Earlier, the market was down as the candidates weren’t spending much, but now the business is doing well,” said Arora. The caps cost Rs 2-15, while the mufflers are for Rs 3-15. The prices depend on the quality of the cloth and the number of items printed on them. “We realized that flags and caps are necessary, but people don’t keep these with them later. We are now making things that are consumer-friendly,” said Anil Kumar Gupta, another trader.

A damaged staircase leads to his second-floor shop which is stuffed with masks, cutouts of political leaders and flags. In the shelves, there are Congress mangalsutra — each priced Rs 10— hairbands, bindis, mobile stickers, necklaces, calendars. “Most of these items are popular in rural areas and outside Delhi. In the capital, politicians prefer the traditional way of campaigning,” he said.

Mahesh Gupta, another trader in the same market, is now planning to expand his business and open more producing units. The demand is so high that the whole of Sadar Bazar is decked up with election paraphernalia. “This year, the demand is high and mostly it is from BJP. Every BJP candidate wants Modi photo in the background be it a mask or a cap,” said Gupta.

More elections means more business for them. “We are very happy that there will be another assembly election in Delhi. Preparations are already on for them,” said Arora.