The roads and lanes leading to mosques in the city are free from huge Eid Mubarak or Ramzan greetings banners sporting photographs of politicians. The election code has made the politicians shy away from putting the banners and flexies to greet the faithful visiting the mosques.
Baring a couple put up by the traders, the mosques and dargahs are literally free from these banners that had become an annual feature. The flexi makers are absolutely jobless this Ramzan. There are about 70 shops in the city that make banners and flexies. According to a rough estimate, each shop, on an average, makes not less than 500 sq. feet of banners for Ramzan.
“Our business is badly hit. No one is coming to our shops because of poll restrictions,” says N. Srikanth of Star Digitals here. The politicians were hesitant to put flexi boards fearing the election code. The business loss would be anywhere between Rs.15,000 and Rs.20,000 this season, he explains.
The Ramzan is likely to pass as a simple affair-without any cut-outs, hoardings and banners at public places. There are no booking and future orders for preparing banners and posters, say Vijayakrishna, another shopkeeper in Gandhi Nagar.
Glimmer of hope
“Due to the ongoing model code of conduct for the panchayat polls in the State, we could not put banners, arches at public places and junctions,” said a TDP leader.
The banner makers, however, see a glimmer of hope. There is a possibility that the flexies could be put up at the fag end of Ramzan festival when the poll code comes to an end.
