THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the general elections around the corner, posters with pictures of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Food Minister GR Anil have been put up in ration shops. The government had not listened to the central directive to stick posters with the Prime Minister's picture in front of the shops. Central posters are piled up in FCI godowns.

The main text of the poster is 'Pride is our public distribution' but the central scheme 'One Nation One Ration Card' is written at the top of the poster. The promise of 'guaranteeing monthly foodgrain allocation' is also from the Centre.

The authorities should check whether the posters have been put up in the shops. At the same time, some sections of the ration traders have decided not to put up the poster as it is the election season. The food minister's office informed that the posters are being pasted as per the central directive to inform the beneficiaries about what ration items they are getting.

Chief Minister has not given instructions

The Chief Minister's office said that he has not given instructions to put up the poster with the Chief Minister's picture. Kerala is the state with the best public distribution system in the country. That indisputable fact is in the mind and experience of the people. It doesn't need to be imposed by any branding. Therefore, the Chief Minister has not given any kind of instructions, the notification said.