Factories Buzz with Production of Flags and Banners
With India gearing up for a massive two-month-long election involving nearly a billion voters, the demand for political party merchandise and flags has skyrocketed. Factories across the country are working overtime to meet this surge, temporarily converting their production lines from saris to election paraphernalia.
In Mathura, a temple town in Uttar Pradesh, factory owner Mukesh Agarwal witnesses the frenzy firsthand. He estimates that around 40 factories in the region are solely dedicated to producing election flags and banners. "These are the cheapest and most effective tools for political campaigns," he explains, highlighting the importance of these items in reaching voters.
The business thrives on high volume and low margins, with party badges starting as low as 1 rupee (approximately $0.01). Agarwal's factory alone can produce a million flags a day, demonstrating the scale of the operation.
During elections, India transforms into a sea of posters representing hundreds of political parties and thousands of candidates. "Many people have limited education, so party workers use flags to promote their symbols and hang them outside houses, making them the core of their campaigns," Agarwal explains.
Surat, a textile hub in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat, serves as the epicenter of election merchandise production, alongside smaller hubs like Mathura and Hyderabad.
The economic impact of elections is significant, with political parties spending heavily on goods and services, ranging from small merchandise to helicopter rentals. Gulshan Khurana, general secretary of a traders association in Delhi, estimates that parties spend between 30 billion and 50 billion rupees on election merchandise, generating around 10 million jobs.
Khurana, a seasoned market trader for nearly 50 years, observes a 30% increase in business compared to the 2019 elections, when Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party spent a record amount to retain power. While opinion polls predict an easy win for Modi's coalition, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi believes the race is much closer than portrayed.