MP gears for bypolls; face masks with images of political leaders being sold in markets

The corona crisis has changed a lot of things for the world. Things are no longer the way they were and elections are no different. The continuing surge in cases of COVID-19 in Madhya Pradesh and across the country has put a question mark on the timely conduct of the crucial by-polls in the state. But, it seems that the spirits have not dampened as people and parties prepare for the elections using unique ways to make their presence felt.

Masks have been made mandatory for people as they step outside and these masks have somehow acquired a political hue with images of politicians and parties' symbols printed on face masks.

Trend gains popularity in Madhya Pradesh

The trend is gaining popularity in Madhya Pradesh after people followed it in Uttar Pradesh.

Madhya Pradesh has got elections scheduled for 22 seats and despite the corona crisis, people and parties are at it and they have realised that face masks are an easy and economic way to reach out to people. Reports state that shop owners in state capital Bhopal are selling face masks with political leaders' images.

In Uttar Pradesh, former minister and general secretary of the Samajwadi Party, Arvind Singh Gope, had earlier stated that the SP resorted to face masks printed with party symbol not because it wanted to gain popularity but because the ruling BJP had been blaming the opposition for not playing a constructive role in the corona crisis. And when BJP sees people wearing their masks, they will know that the party is playing a productive role.

In MP, people are seen wearing masks printed with Shivraj Singh Chouhan's picture and Narendra Modi's picture, along with Rahul Gandhi's image.

A Congress leader in Uttar Pradesh had stated that the Congress party had distributed over one lakh plain masks but later they resorted to printed face masks carrying images of Congress symbol on them.

South India isn't lagging behind either. Political parties have begun queuing up before manufacturers in Tirupur and placing bulk orders for face masks. Parties like AIADMK and Kamal Haasan's MNM were among the first ones to follow the trend. AIADMK has the party flag on face masks whereas, for MNM, it is the image of their party symbol.