Ramanagara: AsGanesh Chaturthi approaches, anticipation fills the air in Channapatna, famed as the “Toy Town.” However, the festive spirit is overshadowed by an unexpected political storm. Local politicians, seeking publicity and voter influence, have begun distributing free Ganesh idols, severely impacting the livelihood of traditional idol artisans who depend on this season for their income.

The festival of Ganesha, celebrated with immense devotion across homes and streets, has traditionally been a crucial economic period for idol makers. This year, however, politics has intruded.

MLA CP Yogeshwar (Congress) and JDS Taluk President HC Jayamuthu are actively offering free idols to residents. Their teams are registering names across villages and towns in the taluk, handing over idols at no cost to anyone who signs up.

This political strategy, aimed at garnering goodwill and visibility ahead of potential elections, has backfired catastrophically on local artisans. Traders who invested heavily months ago, commissioning or crafting thousands of idols, now face a deserted market.

Customers who pre-ordered idols months in advance are now demanding refunds, opting instead for the free political handouts. The sudden, large-scale free distribution has completely dried up demand.

“The politicians have stabbed us in the stomach,” lamented Vinay, a distraught idol trader. “If they had announced this free distribution two or three months ago, we wouldn’t have invested lakhs of rupees in preparing or procuring these idols. Now, at the last minute, they’re destroying our business for their own gain.” He explained that artisans who took loans or invested their savings are now staring at massive losses, with unsold stock piling up and no buyers in sight.

The situation highlights a stark contrast: while politicians use the religious festival for self-promotion, the very artisans whose skills create the symbols of the celebration are pushed towards financial ruin. The free idols, distributed under the guise of facilitating worship, have effectively sabotaged the local economy centered around the festival.

Artisans in Channapatna, known for their craftsmanship, are now left cursing their elected representatives, whose political maneuvering has turned a season of prosperity into one of despair. The Ganesh politics, they say, has eclipsed the true spirit of the festival for those who dedicate their lives to it.