Sale of election merchandise gains momentum

New Delhi: With the elections approaching closer, hawkers selling party emblems and symbols are having a good time outside the headquarters of the prominent political parties in the national capital.

Almost every political party is trying to woo voters with their merchandise and using promotional messages on those. Pagdi, T-shirts, caps, pens, badges, mugs, and masks embellished with catchy messages are on sale and likely to attract the public.

Although candidates in the national capital are yet to be disclosed by the parties, this market is likely to grow with the upcoming elections round the corner.

Hawkers are also targeting party workers and voters outside the Indian National Congress’s (INC) office in New Delhi with traditional products.

“Some of the items being sold include Banarasi sarees worth Rs 1500 with pictures of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The pictures of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could be a good attraction among female workers and voters. Tricolour pagdi worth `150 with Rahul Gandhi and Ms Vadra’s picture on it are also trending nowadays,” said Durga Prasad Kashyap, who has been selling political emblems and merchandises outside INC’s headquarter from the past two decades.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) has set up a party run store, NaMo Raths, outside its national headquarter. The store is filled with artwork and merchandises with promotional messages such as “NaMo again” and “Nari Shakti.”

T-shirts and caps with trending quotes like “Main Bhi Chowkidar” and “Namo again” are available there for `200-300. “The store also offers a Modi mask worth `275, which seems to be quite trending amongst the BJP workers and supporters,” said Hardeesh Singh, the store manager at BJP headquarters.