With Haryana Assembly polls barely a fortnight away, each party is busy trying build up its campaign into a crescendo louder than the others’. And making brisk business of it are those making publicity material. Enter the office of any of the dealers, and you would experience the palpable poll buzz, sometimes in tangible terms too. Chances are bright that you may come across flags, banners, posters, and even a couple of party workers (political affiliation no bar) haggling over prices and delivery deadlines.

“Our business goes up by at least three times during election season. One has to have a good equation with political parties to take full advantage of it,” says Vishal Goyal of Rainbow Graphics, Chandigarh. Asked what the parties prefer, Goyal replies, “Large hoardings remain an all time favourite.”

Rates of medium-sized hoardings hover between Rs 25,00 and Rs 3,000 a hoarding. “But they vary a lot, depending on size, quality and design,” adds Goyal, who has been in the business for the last six years.

Sanjay Kapoor of Ishan Graphics, Panchkula, says, “Election days are the busiest for us. We make flags, hoarding and other things, especially for the BJP. This time too, the party has approached us and we have started with the designing and printing of their stickers, which will be followed by posters”.

Ajay Mishra runs an advertising and printing agency — Reality Outdoors — in Mohali. He has been in the trade for over a decade and says there are no set prices, “The rates of campaigns and hoardings can be in a few hundreds to thousands. It all depends on who is getting the material made.”

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