Picture on invitation draws flak

The use of a picture of AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa in the invitation for the annual Ooty Flower Show has stoked a controversy.

The CPI(M) Nilgiris district secretary R. Badri raised the question how a government invitation could carry the picture of person who is not part of the Government in any capacity.

District Collector P. Sankar told

The Hindu that the final layout of the invitation was approved in Chennai, and that the district officials had only forwarded a template last week.

A video conference was held on Tuesday in which the Collector discussed several issues regarding the flower show with top officials in Chennai, sources said.

The 119th edition of this show, a chief tourist attraction that has been held consecutively for more than a century in the Nilgiris, is scheduled to begin on May 15.

No website yet

Director of Horticulture and Plantation Crops L. Sitherasenan announced on March 16 that tickets would be sold online for the flower show for first time. Booking was due to commence from April 1, but the facility is not available yet.