Located in Achal Tal, the hub of BJP supporters in the old city area of Aligarh, Bhuvan Varshney’s shop is one spot where Uttar Pradesh’s political rivals find equal space. Be it lotus, cycle, or elephant, they all are in business at the shop that deals in election material. However, with the Election Commission imposing restrictions on rallies, there is a significant drop in the business of election material, tents and sound equipment.
“The business is only 10% of what it used to be,” said Mr. Varshney, who also deals in stationery.
“It is not just the restrictions; the whole scenario of electioneering is changing. Now, parties procure election material in bulk from Delhi and Surat. It proves economical for them. We are remembered only during the local body elections.”
Then, there is the curse of online retail. Mr. Varshney pulls out a stole with a lotus embroidered on it.
“Online, it will cost twice the rate I can offer you here. But because of the pandemic, online buying has become a fad in smaller towns as well,” he said.
“And here, as I am a BJP supporter, locals pick up brooches, etc and say, iske bhi paise loge? [will you charge for these, as well],” he added.
Across the road, at the sprawling Ramleela Maidan, Rama Tent has a godown next to the election office of BJP candidate Mukti Raja, wife of MLA Sanjeev Raja.
“This time, both the wedding and the election season have been curtailed, because of COVID-19,” said Kedar Nath Sharma, the manager.
There used to be at least 20 rallies of different parties, Mr. Sharma said, and on an average a tent owner would earn ₹4-5 lakh during the season. According to estimates by the Uttar Pradesh Tent and Banquet Hall Association, its members did business of ₹5 crore during the 2017 poll in Aligarh alone.
“I have to let go my regular employees and pick up daily-wagers from the street when the demand comes.”
Mr. Sharma is also concerned about candidates’ fascination for outsourcing material.
“We can’t fulfil the demand for waterproof tents, which are in fashion now,” he said.
The biggest orders, he added, came from the BJP and the BSP.
“As business is poor, no political trend can be gauged through our engagement,” he quipped.
The Aligarh city seat usually gets polarised on communal lines and, this time too, it is no different. If anti-incumbency and discontent in the local unit on the selection of candidate have made things difficult for the BJP, supporters of Samajwadi Party are apprehensive that the Muslim candidates put up by the BSP and the Congress might make things difficult for their candidate, former MLA Zafar Alam.
There are concerns, said Mr. Varshney, who is district president of Sanskar Bharti, but the business community in Aligarh was wedded to the BJP.
“Hindus tend to get complacent. Last time, after winning the Assembly seat, the voting percentage went down in the mayoral election and, see, we are now saddled with a Muslim mayor who is contemplating demolishing temples in the name of beautification,” said Mr. Varshney.
