AP gram panchayat building colours reflect YSRCP hues, draw TDP ire

A state government order asking all gram panchayat buildings in Andhra Pradesh to be painted white, blue and green -- the ruling YSR Congress Party’s (YSRCP) colours -- has come under fire from the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and other parties.

The order, issued on 28 August by the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department, has also asked the gram panchayats to put up pictures of chief minister and YSRCP supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. The instruction on design and colour code for the buildings have been sent to all the district collectors and other concerned officials of the state.

The colour code prescribed is very similar to the YSRCP’s party flag which has blue and green on the side, and white in the middle (along with the picture of Jagan Mohan Reddy’s father and former AP chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s picture). The YSRCP symbol is a fan, while the TDP’s symbol is a bicycle.

“We built homes for the poor under government schemes, but we never painted the houses yellow or anything that resembles our party. This is nothing but a blatant misuse of the state machinery for party publicity by Jagan. What is more interesting is that they have also asked the offices to put a picture of Jagan on the boards,” a senior TDP leader, who did not want to be quoted, said.

When contacted, AP government officials declined to comment on the issue.