Guess who is winning the sweep-stakes?

Broom Boom

Well, there have been enough jokes around the recently popularised ‘teeliwali jhadu’ but, it is now time for the electoral symbol of Aam Aadmi Party to gain a more elevated  status and be sold online! Accompanying this humble ‘cleaner of corruption’, are a host of inspired merchandise for AAP fans, which are now available on e-portals.

Within 48 hours of the launch of AAP fan merchandise, the website reports that there have been, “More than 500 transactions. Each article bears a ticket price of Rs 300,” informs Sahil Baghla, CEO bluegape.com. An alumni of IIT Kanpur, Sahil has been working with volunteers of AAP and opines that “This is the first time that people are willing to buy products related to politics which was not the trend earlier. We want to try and use the Bollywood effect into politics in order to alienate it from the word ‘boring’.”

While the website is offering a mug (with a caricature of Arvind Kejriwal holding a broom like a cricket bat), cushion and clock (with positive slogans for corruption-free politics), it also plans to introduce new designs and add entertainment value to capture a coveted online market. The proceeds from the sale aim to support the volunteers of the political party. 

“After working for about five months with the party, I realised that the volunteers associated with it get barely Rs 100 for their daily needs of food and travel remuneration. With Lok Sabha election round the corner, a dynamic system of volunteers will need sustenance,” says Nandan Mishra, an AAP volunteer, informing that it is for the same cause that the party has granted approval to the website to sell its fan merchandise. Nandan adds that the move will not only support the AAP volunteers financially but also “make AAP a ‘brand’!

We must realise that it is not only about one political party but also popularises the movement targeted to make the youth vocal about politics. We are looking forward to see people wear T-shirts with not just Mr Kejriwal on it but also slogans like ‘We don’t need corrupt people’!”

Joining the league is Tradus.com which recently came up with a promotional offer of selling the teeliwali jhadu at a price of Rs five for the first 1000 orders. While the website is planning to promote vendors of ‘Gandhi topis’ and sees the act as “An opportunity to bring ‘Aam’ buyers and ‘Aam’ sellers together to transact for an ‘Aam’ product” according to Mudit Khosla, CEO, Tradus.com, one wonders if this is serving as a means to capitalise on AAP’s electoral success?

“We won’t ask them to sell and won’t even stop them for selling unless there is something criminal,” comments Ankit Lal, who runs AAP’s social media campaigns. He informs that the party has identified vendors, “Who take bulk orders of AAP topis and deliver on time, but the more important fact is that it is the first time a party symbol is being recognised by e-commerce websites as a saleable item. No website has even sold a ‘kamal’ and can’t even sell.”

With many firsts, it is definitely a shoppers item to look out for as the sellers attract customers to their portals and shops in the City.