YSRCP flag replaces national flag in Andhra village

The painting spree of YSR Congress party colours on Panchayat buildings, water tanks and even burial grounds has taken a controversial turn when officials in a village replaced the National Flag with ruling party colour on a panchayat building.

The incident that happened in Tamidepalli in Amarapuram block of Anantapur district drew flak from the opposition.

Telugu Desam Party general secretary and MLC Nara Lokesh tweeted, “This is the respect our YSR Congress leaders have for our National Flag. Tomorrow they may hoist Party flag in place of National Flag”.

Political analysts took serious exception to the erasing of Tricolour for promoting a particular party’s interests.

“Public buildings should be painted in a neutral colour. Painting a public office building with a particular party’s colour would imply that those who do not belong to the party should not step in," political analyst Yugandhar pointed out.

BJP state unit president Kanna Lakshminarayana objected to the painting of Panchayat buildings with party colours. “The YS Jaganmohan Reddy government failed miserably except in painting buildings with party colours," he said

However, the officials say that they have done it as per the August 30 directive of the government. State panchayat raj and rural development commissioner M Girija Shankar directed that all the panchayat buildings should be painted in YSR Congress Party colour and there should a photo of chief minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy on the panchayat nameplate. All the 11,158 panchayats were asked to meet the expenses from their own funds.

Majority of the panchayats have already implemented the government diktat, and some are in the process. It costs around Rs 25,000 to paint a Panchayat office based on the size of the building.