The District Election Commission, which has already issued instructions for the removal of government advertisements from public spaces to prevent violations of the model code of conduct during the general elections, has initiated steps to cover the images of political leaders at hotels in the district.
There are hundreds of eateries in the district and of them many, especially party workers or fans of political leaders, have displayed photos of politicians at their places. The town itself has two ‘Kumari Ramya Canteens’, opened in the name of AICC IT Cell chief Ramya, who is also former Lok Sabha member of Mandya.
Janata Dal (Secular) workers have opened ‘Namma Appaji Canteens’ at two places in the town, and at some other places in the district. These hotels charge between ₹10-15 a plate and have been attracting hundreds of customers everyday.
One can also see photographs of late former Congress Minister M.H. Ambareesh, his son Abhishek, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders at tea stalls along the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway and at canteens off some major roads. As the displays can influence the voters, the Election Commission has taken steps to cover the photos.
“We have already issued instructions to the persons concerned to cover the photographs of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Ambareesh and other political leaders at the hotels,” a senior Revenue Officer told The Hindu here on Monday.
According to him, the photographs of former PM Indira Gandhi will also be covered at the government-run Indira Canteens across the district. The previous Congress government, headed by Siddaramaiah, had established Indira Canteens at eight places in the district with the aim of ‘Making Karnataka hunger-free’.
