Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Local sellers of election campaign materials say sales were yet to pick up though BJP and Congress party have announced their candidates in the state for Lok Sabha election.
“Sales are dull. Compared to last Lok Sabha election, the response of customers is negligible. We are not getting online orders either,” Sheela AD Maker Group owner Ajay Agarwal said.
A perception has been created that BJP is sure to win the election and Congress is sure to lose it. As a result, workers and candidates of both the parties don’t want to spend money on publicity material, he added.
According to Jhalak Enterprises owner Nitesh Agarwal, sales are next to nothing. “We had issued order for stocks worth Rs 10 lakh but sales are not picking up. With BJP providing material directly to its candidates, only BSP and Congress workers are buying things from us,” he remarked. Owner of Agrawal Bandhu, Hari Prakash Agrawal, said he did not procure new stock. “And given the situation, I don’t think we will need to,” he added.
According to Hari Prakash, BJP has procured publicity material at the central level and is supplying it to its candidates from the state office. “They are providing material in sufficient quantity to candidates and the latter don’t need to procure it from anywhere else,” he says. However, flags, buntings, cutouts and banners, white T-shirts printed with the slogan, Main hoon Modi ka pariwar, and a picture of the Prime Minister are new additions to the publicity material.
Selfie standees with the same slogan are also available. Then, there are hand fans carrying the symbol of the BJP on one side and Modi’s portrait on the other. “T-shirts and selfie standees with the slogan, Main hoon Modi ka pariwar, are in demand,” Ajay added.
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