Demo ballot makes entry in poll market

Demo ballot boxes are being sold at markets here among various other innovative products like bindis, mangalsutras, masks and mobile covers to help political parties add zing to their campaign.
These items are being brought out by artisans involved in the business of election-related items following orders by the parties or, in some cases, by the traders themselves.
At Sadar Bazaar, the hub of campaign-related items in the national capital, the artisans have been selling even products like tea pots, laser light pens, watches and scarfs featuring symbols of various parties and photos of the leaders.
With its 'Chai Pe Charcha with NaMo' campaign on, BJP is trying to expand its support base and items such as tea pots having Narendra Modi's photograph are being bought in bulk by the party's campaign teams.

"We have launched a set of innovative products this season to attract customers," said Anil Bhai, a shopkeeper at Sadar Bazaar.
The innovative items include a demo ballot machine through which candidates in the fray can teach the voters how to cast their votes.

"The candidates can teach first-time voters how to cast their vote in the upcoming elections," said Chamman as he sold a demo ballot box to the supporter of a candidate.
He said 3-D pocket calenders, clocks and mobile covers are also getting good response from the various political parties.
"We have introduced different items for these elections like party clocks, watches, pens, scarfs, mobile covers, laser -light pens, 3-D pocket calenders, masks, hand bands and 3-D hand fans," said Shamshad, another shopkeeper at Sadar Bazaar.

Traders have studied the campaign strategy of various parties and have accordingly come out with products that may interest them, he added.
"Rahul (Gandhi) represents the face of youth Congress. So, we show his face with the young generation in posters while Modi portrays development, so we make a poster of him with growing infrastructure," said Rehman, an artisan.
To attract women voters, shopkeepers have designed mangalsutras, tea sets and scarfs with political parties' slogans or with pictures of political leaders on them.
"One of the new items we have come out with this time is the party specific mangalsutra which signifies that a voter is married to a particular party," Chamman said. "Tea sets and scarfs are also popular among women.