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Dressing up politicians for the battle ahead

Mrinal Talukdar in Guwahati

Abdur Rahman's only concern these days are politicians's waistlines. Issues of national importance that candidates for the Lok Sabha election so tirelessly proclaim do not interest him.

It is not that Rahman is unduly worried about politicians's health. His interest in their girth is connected to his profession. He is a master tailor flooded with orders for kurta-pyjamas, the traditional uniform of the Indian politician.

Rahman's shop, located in a narrow lane at the Fancy Bazar in the city, is a beehive of activity. When he is not cutting cloth, he is barking orders at a dozen junior tailors working round the clock.

A visitor, and that too a scribe inquiring about his business, is the last thing he wants. ''Whatever you have to ask, make it quick,'' he says without lifting his eyes from the cloth spread on the table before him.

''I only need the measure of the waistline. The rest is all the same. If it is a short kurta and a fat waistline, then I am sure he has been around a long time and made pots of money. If the specification is for a tall and slim person, then he must be a new entrant in politics,'' he says with a touch of sarcasm.

Clearly displeased at having to turn regular customers away, especially during the festive puja season, he says: ''I want to finish off this jhanjhat by next Monday.''

His shop attracts hordes of party workers too, all trying to look like their leaders. At Rajiv Bhavan, the Congress headquarters here, he is the most sought after person. The same is the case at other party offices like the Asom Gana Parishad and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

''I complete about 50 to 75 orders every day. But I do not like this because there are chances of not getting paid. These people have a tendency of not paying,'' Rahman says.

He is not at all interested in any information about the people for whom he is stitching the clothes. It simply does not make any difference to him as long as he gets his money.

''These are all alike. The only difference is the waistline,'' he says adding that on an average each leader stitches six sets of kurta pyjamas before the election.

He has been in the profession for 33 years and is turning out election apparel for the seventh time. ''Yes, we earn something during the election but not much. This time, it is before puja. So we are in fact losing on precious business,'' he adds.

UNI

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