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With the BJP putting its own rejoinder to the Samajwadi Party's accusation that the present government has mismanaged the affairs of the state, the battle of the hoardings is hotting up in Lucknow.
The SP started the war with a hoarding which said - Pradesh jal raha hai (the state is on fire). This was followed by figures of the percentage rise in prices.
Piqued, the BJP replied with - Pradesh to jalane wale desh to jala denge (those who are burning the state will also burn the nation).
The BJP termed the SP as a supporter of 'anti-nationals' referring to the SP's opposition to POTO (Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance and support to the banned SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India).
Kya yeh deshbhakt hai? (are they nationalists?) the BJP hoarding asks, adding Bhajpa ka hai ailaan, rashtra vidrohiyon saavdhaan (BJP's warning, anti-nationals beware).
The hoardings have been put up at prominent sites in Lucknow, which also happens to be the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Initially, Chief minister Raj Nath Singh wanted the hoarding on the price rise to be pulled down. The municipal corporation had almost got into the thick of the action by reprimanding the advertising agency for putting up hoardings aimed at misleading people when the BJP decided to exercise discretion.
However, the SP went ahead and complained to the state election authorities against the BJP's accusation.
City SP unit chief Faqir Siddiqui defended the move saying, "Whatever we had said on our hoardings was based on facts while the BJP is labeling us as anti-nationals without any evidence."
The municipal authorities are at their wits end dealing with the complaints and counter-complaints.
"Strictly speaking, we are not concerned with the issue. We only give out licences to registered firms for putting up hoardings at designated spots. However, we have no control or jurisdiction over what goes on them," said S P Singh, Lucknow's chief municipal officer.
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