Mushrooming: As the poll dates were announced the very next day stalls selling polling merchandise cropped up on streets of Beer Chand Patel path
It's barely a day since the announcement of the 2019 general election and Patna's Beer Chand Patel path is abuzz with activities. Not only because it houses the Bihar headquarters of at least three major political parties, but also because various makeshift shops selling poll items have mushroomed in the vicinity.
The first to arrive on the block are the sellers of 'kurta-pyjamas', the traditional attire of "neta ji" and other publicity material sellers promise to follow as soon as there is "more clarity on the alliances, seats and candidates."
Beer Chand Patel Path houses the state HQ of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal-United, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Nationalist Congress Party and these shops have mostly mushroomed near the party gates or in the Adalatganj road, off the Patel Path.
"Some of the stalls were here for the last few days, but several came up on Sunday after it was known that the election dates were to be announced in the evening," said Pravin Kumar, who has set up an "exclusive khadi" stall there. "We offer white as well as colourful fabrics for reasonable rate and hope to make a good business in the coming days," he adds.
Next to the sellers sit the tailors, who take anywhere between Rs 300 - Rs 500 for stitching a pair of "kurta-pyjama" on the spot. "Its good that the tailor is also here because they are quick with their work in comparison to the regular ones who take a few days for doing the job," said Kanhaiya Singh, who claimed to be a ruling party member and was giving his measurements for getting a white kurta stitched.
When asked about other promotional merchandise, Ankit Kumar, one of the fabric stall owner said, more poll goodies such as posters, banners, festoons, clocks, pens etc will be available in the coming days when things become "more clear". "The Grand Alliance partners are yet not final, neither has the ruling coalition announced which seats they will contest and which candidates will they field. As things become clearer in the days to come, you will not have space to set foot in the area," he said.
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