No Sheila photo likely at Delhi pavilion in trade fair

There may not be any pictures of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in the Delhi pavilion at this month’s India International Trade Fair — the city’s biggest exhibition that attracts lakhs of visitors — due to curbs imposed by the model code of conduct for the Assembly elections.

This year Lt Governor Najeeb Jung is likely to be the face of the metropolis in the various displays in the pavilion at Pragati Maidan, the exhibition’s venue in central Delhi, as the poll code does not allow use of public funds in promoting any party’s candidate, said an official source in the Delhi election department.

“We are yet to get any reference from the state government on the trade fair pavilion,” said Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Dev.

“The election code will be enforced in the right spirit,” he said.

Election department officials said in an election year the Congress government in the state could not be allowed to showcase its achievements as it did in the previous years. “To ensure fair play, there have to be some curbs in place,” said an official.

The projection of Jung as the face of Delhi, his pictures and vision document are likely to replace what, till last year, were the highlights of the Congress government in the city led by Dikshit.

Starting November 14, the trade fair may attract around 1.5 million visitors over 14 days.

This year, the front gate of Delhi pavilion will have a 35-foot-high sculpture which will depict the story of the city’s destruction and revival seven times, said an official of the India Trade Promotion Organisation.

Slogans like Beautiful Delhi, Bright Delhi, Developed Delhi and Green Delhi will be put on the banners that will greet visitors near the entrance, he said.

On the left, Qutub Minar’s image would be shown and on the right cars running on the city’s roads will be highlighted. In the middle, Delhi will be projected as a global city by showing it on the world map. Flags of other countries would be hung overhead. 

The changes and development in the city after Independence will also be chronicled in a section of the pavilion.

To compliment the Green Delhi slogan, special green beams will be projected on the pavilion from the surrounding lawns to give it a green hue, said an official.