Calling the Central government’s directive to display signboards and flex boards with photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at ration shops across Kerala an “election stunt”, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the Kerala Assembly on February 12 (Monday) that the State government will inform the Union government of its decision to not implement the directive.
The government will also consider informing the Election Commission about the issue, he said, after making an intervention while Food and Civil Supplies Minister G.R. Anil was replying to questions related to the matter.
“The public distribution system and ration shops have existed in Kerala for long. But the Union government has now issued an unprecedented directive at a time when the Lok Sabha elections are nearing, surely with an intention to use this for campaigning. We will inform the Union government that we will not be implementing the directive, citing these issues,” said Mr. Vijayan.
