As flower showers trend in Mandya, farmers rake it in ahead of elections

While Mandya is seeing star presence in support of Sumalatha Ambareesh, farmers make heavy business by selling flowers showered to these stars. 
People welcome Mandya candidate Sumalatha by showering flowers, in Mandya
People welcome Mandya candidate Sumalatha by showering flowers, in Mandya

MYSURU:  Early summer rain may have eluded Mandya but flower farmers have hit the jackpot, with the poll season bringing showers of another kind. Party workers are buying up sackfuls of flowers, and so are fans, adding colour and fragrance to the star-studded electioneering in this district.

As leading actors Yash and Darshan hold roadshows in towns and villages in support of independent candidate Sumalatha, their fans go to terraces of buildings and rain down flowers on the stars and those who follow them. Often cranes and earthmovers are deployed to greet the actors with garlands made of flowers and apples, as seen in Nagamanagala and Srirangapatna.

The flower frenzy has caught up in the constituency, with fan clubs competing with each other to express their love for the actors in the form of flowers, apart from unique slogans and bursting of firecrackers.
The trend appears contagious. As if to outdo the artistes’ fans, JD(S) supporters too want to say it with flowers for party candidate and film star Nikhil Kumaraswamy. Such scenes are common in Pandavapura, KR Pet and Maddur, considered strongholds of the Deve Gowda-led party. Nikhil is also greeted with garlands of roses and apples.

And finally, it’s the farmers who are laughing all the way to the bank. Fans and supporters buy flowers in bulk, paying the growers handsome sums. Some fan clubs buy flowers worth more than Rs 10,000, and care little for the cost. Lokesh, a JD(S) worker of Malavalli, said they placed orders for rose-and-apple garlands from Kanakapura and Bengaluru, while they bought marigold directly from farmers.

Venaktesh Shetty of KR Pet said he had grown marigold and chryranthemum on 15 guntas of land. He said many purchased marigold in bulk, paying Rs 25 a kg. He said he sold two metres of chrysanthemum garlands for Rs 80.With demand, prices have gone up. Yellow marigold which sold for Rs 30 a week ago, now costs Rs 60 , said Narendra Kumar, a flower merchant at Devaraja Market in Mysuru. He said Ugadi festival is another reason for the high demand for flowers.

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