Dry fruit sales have not picked up in the state capital. Chocolates are also waiting for customers and flowers are also wilting in the stands.
Political leaders this year are shying away from gifting boxes of sweets, dry fruits, chocolates, liquor bottles and flowers to their “friends” in the bureaucracy and the media because the fear of the Election Commission is looming large over them.
The state election officials, two days ago, had warned that birthdays, parties, social functions and exchange of gifts and cash would be under the EC scanner.
“After this warning by EC, we are being extra cautious even though we feel that there should be some laxity in this festive season. After all, we have been sending across sweets, dry fruits and gifts to all our friends in the New Year and this year should not be an exception just because elections are being held. We are now wary of making bulk purchases because the leading shops may also be under the EC surveillance,” said a BJP candidate.
A premier sweet shop owner in the state capital, meanwhile, disclosed that some contestants are sending sweets by their courier services and a distant relative’s name is given in the sender’s column in the courier slip. “The sender and the receiver will not come face to face and neither will be candidate’s name figure in our records. We are also sending dry fruits and chocolates alongside through courier services and to add to the value of the gift, we are putting them in exquisite crystal bowls,” the shop owner disclosed.
Some candidates have found another way to oblige their friends in the bureaucracy and are gifting coupons for exclusive New Year Eve parties in the state capital.
“In two cases, we have gifted a paid trip to Goa for my bureaucrat friends’ families. The officers in question could not go due to election work but their families have gone to Goa and have been put up in five star hotels. Wee are also taking care of their shopping spree there,” disclosed another candidate.