The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Not much cheer for small traders

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Wednesday, Mar 25, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Not much cheer for small traders

Raghava M. and Anil Kumar Sastry

BANGALORE: Elections are no longer money-spinning occasions for printers, artists, painters and graphic designers. First, it was the blanket ban on display of poll canvas material in public places, followed by curbs on election expenditure by candidates.

The last Assembly elections did not fetch many orders for preparation of buntings and flex boards for R. Ramu. This time, for the Lok Sabha elections, Mr. Ramu, who has been in the field for four decades, is putting up a brave front.

Mr. Ramu’s firm — Ravi Varma Arts — in Chickpet is one of the many in the city which are subdued over the lack of orders from political parties for campaign material.

“By now orders should have been in place,” said Mr. Ramu, gazing at the a big bunting of his firm he has strung across the road. “I am an optimist. I hope to get orders.”

The same hopeful anxiety is there in Naveen of Anu Graphics in Malleswaram. “With the restrictions, the parties are likely to opt out of buntings and banners. We are prepared to cater to this demand. But the momentum is yet to pick up,” he said.

These printing firms are facing the heat of the Election Commission’s clampdown on poll-related expenditure. “The parties quote low rates such as Rs. 5 per sq. ft. as against the prevailing rate of Rs. 20 for a banner. Though it is difficult to meet our expenses at such rates, we finally agree just to keep our machines running,” said M. Nagaraj, a printer in Malleswaram.

Another reason for the drop in the orders has been fees imposed by the civic authorities for display of flags and buntings.

“The parties have to pay Rs. 450 to display a flag that they get for Rs. 6, forcing candidates opt for door-to-door campaign,” Mr. Nagaraj pointed out. The prospect of the maxi cab and luxury taxi owners has not been rosy either. Political parties have so far not approached them to hire their vehicles. “We were surprised over not getting any calls for the Congress function in Davangere on Monday,” said Bairava Siddaramaiah, president of Maxi-Cab Owners’ Association.

Moreover, these owners have burnt their fingers during the last Assembly elections as political parties did not pay them fully. “We suffered losses as parties made only part-payment. This time we have decided not to give luxury taxis on hire,” said K.S. Tantri, president of Luxuary Taxi Owners’ Association.

But maxi cab owners want to keep their vehicles running. “We are already facing problems due to the economic slowdown. Many firms for which we run cabs are delaying payments. We have to keep our vehicles running to repay loans,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.

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