When Jaganmohan Reddy started the YSR Vahana Mitra scheme last week for 1.73 lakh auto rickshaw drivers, with an annual allowance of Rs 10000 for a period of five years, there was a lot of appreciation. But now in a bid to garner maximum publicity for the government and the CM from the scheme, the Road Transport officials seem to be going a bit too far.
RTA men in uniform were found stopping autos and pasting stickers that thank Jagan for the gesture. While the autos may not logically object to such a publicity sticker, the fact that the government is doing it on its own, is not seeming in good taste. While it is not known if Jagan is aware of this move, whoever has thought of it obviously wants to milk the decision for political benefit. Autos are considered the best vehicle for outdoor publicity.
The BJP criticised the move saying Jagan has showed himself no different from Chandrababu Naidu who would hijack central schemes by sticking his photograph on the banners. Already every village secretariat office in Andhra Pradesh is painted in YSRCP colours, making them look like party offices and now the official machinery which does not belong to the Information and Publicity wing of the government is being used to celebrate the CM.