Sale of flags, festoons gain momentum as election fever grips Tamil Nadu

Chennai: With the ruling AIADMK and DMK candidates in Chennai hitting the campaign trail, sales of party flags and festoons have picked up pace, while the latest entrant, music CDs, propagating the ideologies of the AIADMK, DMK and DMDK, are flooding shops in Burma Bazaar.

“It’s a two-month seasonal business and we have stocked adequate CDs to meet the demand. Their sale is also increasing, thanks to the AIADMK and DMK functionaries,” said Mohammad Jaleel, who runs a shop near Burma Bazaar. “Songs portraying MGR and MGR numbers are always the most sought after during elections as also songs narrating the ideology of Dr. Ambedkar,” said M Raja a CD shop owner in Broadway.

“The poll mood has just commenced, with the AIADMK candidates hitting the trail. It will gain momentum after the last day of nominations,” said AIADMK functionary Poonganagar S. Selvam.

“We started stocking party flags and stationery last month, and now sales are going up. Currently, only major parties have started buying election festoons, and we are hoping for a surge by next week; as yet, several political parties are yet to announce candidates”, said M. Sadeeq, a dealer based in Broadway, selling party flags and festoons.

“Autos playing songs of political parties are yet to hit the roads. And we will certainly look out for the latest CDs on our Thalapathi M K Stalin,” said Dheena, a DMK cadre in Periamet.