As the city gears up to participate in the world’s biggest election process, booksellers here have been celebrating the escalating sale in election-related books. Books on Bharatiya Janata Party prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi are clear favourites.
“Books on Mr. Modi are practically flying off the shelves,” said an assistant at Bahrisons Booksellers in Khan Market.
“And with the elections just a few days away, sales are only seeing an upward trend. We are selling as many as four to five books on Mr. Modi every day. There is definitely a buzz and curiosity about him. We have been getting enquiries from both Indians and foreigners about books on him,” he added.
Not far behind the demand for books on Mr. Modi is the demand for books on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.
“People mostly want to know if there are books on his life and his opinion on government policies. Many youngsters have been demanding books on Mr. Gandhi. In fact, not just books on Mr. Modi and Mr. Gandhi, essays on elections, books explaining the election process and Indian politics are also doing brisk business,” he added.
The scenario seems the same in other bookstores too.
Anup Kumar Bamhi of Faqir Chand & Sons said: “This past month alone we have sold over 50 books on Mr. Modi and about the same number on Mr. Gandhi. And sales are picking up as the polling day draws closer. On Mr. Modi, books like The NaMo Story: A Political Life by Kingshuk Nag and Madhu Kishwar’s Modi, Muslims and Media are doing brisk business. On Mr. Gandhi, Decoding Rahul Gandhi by Aarthi Ramachandran is selling well.”
Crossword Book Store in Saket too claimed that books on Mr. Modi and Mr. Gandhi are doing well.
“Interest in these books started around February and they have seen a steady increase over the past few weeks. There is interest and curiosity about the two leaders across all ages. Books on the Aam Aadmi Party however are not too much in demand here. There was definitely a buzz about the party during the Delhi elections, but now the interest doesn’t seem to be able to match up to Mr. Modi or Mr Gandhi — at least when it comes to sale of books.”
