CONFECTIONEERS MAKE ELECTION SPECIAL SWEETS

Politics is getting sweeter in the Kolkata metropolis with confectioners offering election-themed delicacies this poll season. Known for their sweet-tooth, Kolkatans are snapping up 'nirvachani mishti' (election sweets) with shops setting up special counters to sell sweets embossed with party symbols or names 'NaMo', 'RaGa' and 'Didi'. 'NaMo Tea Mousse' named after the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is a hit. Confectioners are also selling a special Bengali dessert 'payesh' and have named it 'Didi', dedicated to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Balaram Mullick and Radharaman Mullick, the 129-year-old sweetshop at Bhowanipore, has introduced nine uniquely designed sweets like 'sandesh' for the poll season. "We make sweets for every occasion and since this is the general elections, we thought we must have something for patrons of different political parties," shop owner Sudip Mullick told PTI. Crushed rose petals are used to create CPI(M)'s red hammer and sickle symbol and raw mango and orange for Trinamool Congress's flower and grass party symbol. 
The BJP 'sandesh' has strawberry-flavour and a pink lotus, while the Congress depicts a hand. Priced at Rs 115 per piece, these sweets though pinching the pocket, add a special flavour to political discussions by voters and patrons of different political parties. Shopowner Mullick says sales of the 'poll sweets' are encouraging and smaller versions have been introduced to make them more affordable. "Parties and political leaders are buying in bulk, while those who support certain political parties are also buying it to show their support for a leader," he says. For those party supporters willing to send a greetings to their leaders, the shop has created a special 'victory sweet' which has 'Joyee Hao' (be victorious) written on them with cottage cheese. After the elections are over, the confectioners plan to make a large 'sandesh' with the photo of the new prime minister.