Grim picture for poster boys

A worker rolls up banners at a press in Raiganj. Picture by Kousik Sen

TT, Raiganj: Pause on panchayat polls, blackout on banners.

Placards, banners, hoardings and flags are piling up at printers' storerooms in North Dinajpur, with panchayat poll candidates apparently reluctant to take deliveries till there is clarity on the elections from Calcutta High Court after its stay last week.

The situation has fuelled fears of losses among printers if the stalemate persists.

That's not all. Candidates contesting as independents are in a fix as they cannot go out on campaign because the administration is yet to allot them symbols.

"There was an expectation of good business this time, as we received many orders for making banners, festoons and placards from candidates of different political parties which will be used for campaign. I have also invested a good amount to buy raw materials. But as the election procedure is under the scrutiny of the Calcutta High Court, candidates have stopped turning out to collect such materials. We are really in a fix and don't know how long this stalemate will continue," Tapas Das, a trader, who has received orders from the political parties, said.

There are around 50 such traders across the district who are confronting similar problems.

Several thousands of banners and placards are lying at the shops. Many of them are clueless with the future of these materials.

"We are simply keeping our fingers crossed and expecting some positive outcome that will remove the impasse and election campaign will go in full swing," a trader here who has already prepared several festoons, said.

Manas Ghosh, a vice-president of North Dinajpur district Trinamul, said: "The election tempo only gets its peak, when publicity materials are put on display. As the entire election process has been stalled by the Calcutta High court, we could not start full-fledged campaign. That is why the candidates are yet to collect their materials from printers."

The halt in election process has also left the independent candidates worried, who have already filed nomination for the upcoming poll, but yet to start campaign.

"I have filed nomination for the upcoming panchayat poll as an independent candidate in North Dinajpur zilla parishad seat. But the election process has come to a halt I am yet to get a symbol. That is why I could not initiate the campaign," said Jyetha Murmu, a Zilla Parishad candidate.