Patna, Oct. 16: It is a battle between Lalu Prasad atom bomb and Nitish Kumar rocket this Diwali.

Giving them a tough competition is Mallika Sherawat patakhas, along with Sonia (Gandhi) sparklers and Ram Vilas Paswan firecrackers, says Shahid, a shopkeeper.

He added: “Sparklers and crackers with pictures of politicians and actors boost sales.”

Shopkeepers believe that firecracker-makers know that pictures of Bollywood actors and politicians draw in customers and “fans” who don’t mind paying that extra for them.

“Moreover, there is no trademark or copyright issues that hamper sales. Traders can freely use the pictures on packets without taking any consent. Usually, personalities, both from Bollywood and politics, do not question their presence on the packets and instead are flattered by the attention,” Shaheed said.

Rockets with Nitish’s picture on packets are selling like hot cakes already, as are the rather alarmingly named Lalu and Ram Vilas Paswan atom bombs and bullet bombs at the makeshift shops that have mushroomed along the streets on the eve of the festival in the state capital.

If recession and high prices of essential commodities have hit the masses, there is little indication of that here, as people can be seen standing in serpentine queues before the shops on Patna streets.

Prices of vegetables and pulses have recorded an all-time high.

While potato and onion are selling at Rs 25 per kilogram each, lentils are selling at Rs 100 per kilogram.

Sugar prices have skyrocketed to Rs 32 per kilogram and sweets, an essential part of the Diwali festivities, are selling at astronomical prices.

It seems that the issue of price rise has been put aside just for the day as people are thronging sweet shops, vegetable stores and firecracker kiosks and sound of crackers are already resonating through the Patna skyline.