SP’s campaign materials have nowhere to go without the ‘bicycle’

Shopkeepers hopeful of a Yadav clan patch-up

IN A FIX: Vendors selling election material fear huge losses if the Samajwadi Party symbol is frozen. — Photo Rajeev Bhatt

On a Thursday afternoon, a yellow banner greets passers-by near the SP headquarters here on Vikramaditya Marg, pledging that “Arvind Shukla (Pintu), senior party worker, Samajwadi Party” will be on an indefinite hunger strike until the SP party family reunites.

“Mulayam Singh Yadav zindabad. Samajwadi Party zindabad. Akhilesh Yadav zindabad,” the banner declares. But the usually bustling street with a steady flow of SUVs and party workers is witnessing little activity.

A gaggle of SP workers assembles to participate in the hunger strike. “We have full faith that things will get better,” says Shukla, the group’s leader.

Minutes later, a group of policemen ask them to abandon their dharna as they had not sought permission and it violated the election model code of conduct. After a brief negotiation, the police lodge an FIR against the SP workers but allow them to continue.

Across the street, Sashi Kumar Saxena watches the episode with interest. He runs a store selling SP accessories — banners, posters, calendars, photo frames, scarves, stickers, badges, flags, practically anything that can have images of Mulayam, Akhilesh or other Yadav family members on it.

“I never thought I would be killing time like this in peak election season,” Mr. Saxena says. If demonetisation upset sales, the future of the “bicycle” is under a cloud. The possibility that the symbol might be frozen by the Election Commission has deterred SP workers and leaders from making big campaign purchases.

After the SP feud snowballed, Mr. Saxena suffered losses worth ₹2-3 lakh. At least 25 orders were cancelled. Around 20,000 flags and posters he made for an SP candidate from Purvanchal lie in his store.

“It costs ₹1.25 lakh. I received 10% as advance. But now he does not take my calls,” he laments.

The scene is much the same for the half-a-dozen small stores and hawkers selling SP material exclusively near the party office.

“I had expected business of ₹5-7 lakh. But due to this uncertainty, my clients have already blocked orders for 2 lakh banners and flags,” said store owner Dipu Agarwal.

If the symbol is frozen? “Well, it will be a big loss. We will then have to figure out what to do with the flags and posters” said Mr. Agarwal. While the party is vertically divided, the merchants have not lost hope. Ayushi Srivastava, a store owner as well as an SP office-bearer, believes the father and son will patch up.

“Without each other [Mulayam and Akhilesh], the party is incomplete. We have faith things will be fine. The bicycle will remain,” he says.