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BMC polls: Designers await banner, poster orders to come their way

Just 13 days left for the Mumbai civic polls, but nearly 80 manufacturers of posters, banners, cut-outs and badges are sitting idle.

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Just 13 days left for the Mumbai civic polls, but nearly 80 manufacturers of posters, banners, cut-outs and badges are sitting idle.

None of them has got a single order for campaign material three days after the nomination papers have been filed.

“Elections used to be our biggest revenue generator. We earned Rs10 lakh in the 2007 civic polls. Earlier, we used to get orders from parties on the last day of nomination. This time we are twiddling other thumbs,” said Naseem Khan of Yaseen Arts at Santa Cruz, who designs and manufactures publicity material.

All 10 designers at Yaseen Arts have been sitting idle since January 3, the day when the code of conduct came into effect.

While Independent candidates will begin canvassing from February 6 after the state election commission allots them the symbols, parties, which already have their own symbols, are yet to place orders for publicity material.

Dadar-based publicity material manufacturer Nafis Khan believes that one of the reasons for them not getting order yet is the last-minute declaration of candidates by all major political parties to avoid rebellion.

“This musical chair among parties is the biggest spoilsport for us. Moreover, this time most candidates are low-profile; they are yet to prepare their strategies,” said Nafis.

Radheshyam Thakur, who runs Johny Printers in Thane, is still waiting for his first customer. Last civic polls, he did business of Rs5 lakh.

“We are ready with banners, cut-outs of top leaders, badges, stickers, caps and t-shirts for five major parties in the state, but there have been no takers,” Thakur said.

Parties have different reasons for not placing orders yet. Nizamuddin Rayeen of Congress said: “We have enough banners and posters in our godowns. They will be distributed among candidates from Friday. Only pamphlets are not ready.”

But, BJP leader Madhav Bhandari admitted: “Their are still some doubts, so have have not placed orders for campaign material yet.”

Harshal Pradhan of the Shiv Sena claimed that banners and posters have been banned.  “But, pamphlets will be ready soon,” he added.

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