Demand for campaign merchandise low this year compared to previous elections Traders

    Kolkata, Mar 7 (PTI) Traders selling election campaign
merchandise said that COVID-19 pandemic and strict
restrictions by the Election Commission have kept the demand
for campaign material for West Bengal Assembly polls this year
low compared to earlier elections.
    They said most of the demand till now for poll
campaign material is from the Trinamool Congress which has
already announced its full list of candidates on Friday.
    "Demand is on the lower side compared to previous
elections due to various factors including COVID-19 and EC's
restrictions," traders said.
    However, they are optimistic that demand will pick-up
as poll heat rises with every passing day.
    The traders at Burrabazar are hopeful that once the
full candidate list of BJP candidates is announced demand will
kick-in. The BJP on Saturday announced its first list of 57
candidates for the West Bengal Assembly election.
    "More than 90 per cent demand is from TMC and their
demand is since the last few days even before the candidate
list was announced. The demand from Left parties and BJP is
around 5 per cent each as of now. Congress is out of sight,"
SP Textile poll merchandise wholesaler at Burrabazaar Rahul
Gambhir told PTI.
    The narrow lanes of Pragya Patti in Burrabazar which
is the hub for poll campaign merchandise are now full of
colourful poll campaign materials waiting to be sold to
respective political party supporters.
    From saris, handbags, T-shirts to scarfs, hoodies,
masks and balloons and flags, the shops have stocked them all
for the election.
    Though, e-commerce is not left behind but sales aren't
great yet.
    The Flag Corporation and Flag Shop founder Gyan Shah
from Mumbai said they have a presence in online marketplace
but the products they offer are not of low-end fast moving
products for campaigns.
    "Our offering is high quality and so individuals buy
our products who demand high quality items. During elections
demand definitely goes up but costly items demand doesn't move
very fast," he said.
    Prices had moved up over the previous year, price
range from Rs 5 to Rs 200 depending upon items and sizes.
Flags are the fastest selling items and least in demand is
saree, traders said.
    West Bengal Assembly election will be held in eight
phases, beginning on March 27. Votes will be counted on May 2.
PTI BSM
RG RG

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)