AD WORLD A prominent politician on his birthday had the agony of seeing just one advertisement after his defeat. Today when he has established his comeback, it is a different ball game. It is not an isolated incident of losing patronage after defeat on the political battlefield, Politicians are not alone hankering for public importance and recognition .Religious persons, so called social workers , Sarpanchas have also joined the bandwagon and are inflicted with this contagious urge that is irresistible fodder for their well being and rise in public perception.
There is a bash of advertisement on celebrating their birthdays. The news content is drastically curtailed and there is a delay too in receiving the copies of the daily. The subscribers are unnecessarily put to an disadvantage. It would be advisable to have a separate pull out or a holder .Sometimes there are surrogate adds too, eulogizing the persons in power in the names not only of the individuals, but also social organisations, local bodies, clubs .It is a wonder as to who finally foots the bill. It is not a secret assumption that the agents are denied their commissions besides the costs and are made to run from pillar to post. There are outstanding bills of advertisement on birthdays and if they are out of reckoning then there is no hope of any recovery. It is like repaying their debts for the favours received in the past. A few scrupulous supporters collect contributions from individuals and also bill the boss. These approaches camouflage the actual expenditure to the individual. The ads appear to be the index and barometer of popularity and support in the vicinity. It is a message of strong base support sending a message to their organisations not to ignore them, Those releasing the ads want to display public solidarity , closeness and intimacy These ads do not come cheap and promoters do it as if with tacit understanding of the politicians. Hence it may not be safe to refuse and invoke their ire in some form or the other later. The newspapers are laughing all the way to the bank on these occasions The dailies are classified on communal lines ,when such ads are released .Some public figures request not to engage in wasteful, non-productive expenditure, but these austerity measures are only for public consumption, as inwardly they are very much desiring this publicity. The validity of this activity is seen when they are out of power, since no one bothers then. Even the public functions after defeat are absent and so also the long unending Q`s and supporters vying with one another These wishes by telegrams ,e mails ,phones, besides floral tributes and gifts are reciprocation of favours received or yet to be received. If these sentiments through ads or other means were genuine, then they would have continued even when the person is out office. It is not so, as proved endless number of times. These good wishes are directly related to being in public office and expectations The Sarapanchas, Zilla Panchayat and other emerging brands of social workers are testing waters of hope and being considered later for the public office by the party organisers. It is a matter of regret that some religious are also bugged, unexpectedly by this public adulation's, and popularity ratings The ads on birthdays and on assuming office are a big deceptions and everyone is fully aware of this practice. Hence ads must go on, not because one likes, but it is a way to please and the futility, absurdity is known to both. Perhaps the wasteful expenditure could have been put to more productive use Nelson Lopes. Chinchinim
