As the pulse of political activity quickens ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, 35-year-old Chintala Arjun quietly toils away in a garage at Auto Nagar near Gajuwaka in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. He meticulously converts high-end SUVs into election campaigning vehicles, adding open-top stands and installing sound systems, lights and other accessories.
“I usually make ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 a month. However, for working on campaigning vehicles, I earn around ₹30,000 for each,” says a beaming Arjun, adding, “The elections are a big boost to our business. I am working round the clock to complete the orders within a week.”
The skillset of people like Arjun is in high demand as parties vie for attention on the campaign trail. Over the past few weeks, he has worked on more than a dozen vehicles for leaders of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its ally, the Jana Sena Party (JSP).
