Election campaigns never affected by Recession
It’s a secret so open that even our ever-sparring politicians rarely raise it. But had the rupee been able to achieve as much as it does during the run-up to the elections, India would, by now, have bid goodbye to the recession.
Take a look at how much candidates from major parties seem to be achieving from the paltry sum of Rs 25 lakh. Almost all legal advertising space in the city has been taken over by our politicians’ benign smiles and tall promises, the lunches and dinners for party workers are in full flow, there are a flurry of inserts in the media and there is at least one car in each of the 10 assembly constituencies in each Lok Sabha segment which is over and above the official campaign entourage. There are also the bulk SMSes which are bein sent and the websites being launched. The expenditure of the surreptitious kinds — read money and alcohol to be distributed in various parts — have not even started.
There is a resigned acceptance even among election officials that there is too much fudging of accounts despite an entire system of regulation being in place. ‘‘They have to file their expenditure accounts with the returning officer every week. But then a lot of times, by the time the return is filed, the event is already over.
Meanwhile, it is a fact that no political party or advertising agency is willing to talk about on record but sources say since the beginning of the elections, cost of advertising space has gone up many times. The ones who had the early bird advantage got it cheap but the late-entrants are spending quite a fortune — according to some estimates this cost alone is almost equal to the official campaign budget.
Take a look at how much candidates from major parties seem to be achieving from the paltry sum of Rs 25 lakh. Almost all legal advertising space in the city has been taken over by our politicians’ benign smiles and tall promises, the lunches and dinners for party workers are in full flow, there are a flurry of inserts in the media and there is at least one car in each of the 10 assembly constituencies in each Lok Sabha segment which is over and above the official campaign entourage. There are also the bulk SMSes which are bein sent and the websites being launched. The expenditure of the surreptitious kinds — read money and alcohol to be distributed in various parts — have not even started.
There is a resigned acceptance even among election officials that there is too much fudging of accounts despite an entire system of regulation being in place. ‘‘They have to file their expenditure accounts with the returning officer every week. But then a lot of times, by the time the return is filed, the event is already over.
Meanwhile, it is a fact that no political party or advertising agency is willing to talk about on record but sources say since the beginning of the elections, cost of advertising space has gone up many times. The ones who had the early bird advantage got it cheap but the late-entrants are spending quite a fortune — according to some estimates this cost alone is almost equal to the official campaign budget.
Pamphlets are being printed but the numbers are smaller. In some ways, a stricter EC has pushed the need to switch over to costlier modes of publicity. However the hoardings are much cheaper but then who will bear the electricity loss???
I have another theory on this, which I shared with some Indian friends too.
ReplyDeleteI feel that elections in India may be that much needed can actually have a positive impact in recession, since it would pump in a lot, a lot of money in the market, create jobs etc. Money is bound to flows like a river during elections. Lots and lots of people get businesses, be it hotel walas, car showrooms, printers, etc etc.
All the money spent during campaign; getting posters/banners made to travel to food to setting up stages to food to sale of motor vehicles to renting of hotels to even distributing money/items among voters etc etc, all result in induction of money in the market supporting it during recession.
india has gone into the hands of some money makers.The politics has became a toy of rich people.A poor man who had not to eat properly canont think ever to go to parliament.
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