Political battle kickstarts on colour of Green Park enclosure

Kanpur: Opposition parties in the city are giving the painting of the enclosure in Green Park a political colour, alleging that the green and red paint used on the stairwalls are the 'colours' of the Samajwadi Party.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will be present during the first ODI between India and South Africa in the state's only International stadium on October 11.

Three enclosures of the stadium have been painted green and red, resembling the colours of the ruling party and the city BJP unit has protested against the colour of the enclosures, saying that the stadium should remain a stadium and not be made a political battleground.

It is rumoured that the UPCA is happy with the state government after getting the ground back on lease for a 30-year period and hence the favourable colour palette.

The stadiums outer wall has been painted red with an advertisement of a milk company pasted on it. However, UPCA CEO Lalit Khanna has rubbished the allegation and said the colour has not been co-ordinated to please the ruling party.

"A side row has also been painted yellow, which denotes the colour of a traffic signal light. The green and red are also colours of a traffic signal and have nothing to do with the Samajwadi Party," Khanna told PTI adding that the colours look good and also signify discipline.

On the red colour of the outer wall, Khanna said: "An advertisment company won the tender and when it does go to them, UPCA is not concerned whether they paint it red or blue.

BJP Mahamantri Sunil Bajaj has also raised questions about the enclosures of Green Park painted Red and Green, alleging that the ground is being given political a political colour.

Also sources in Green Park have revealed that because many Samajwadi ministers and officials will be accompanying the UP CM in the closing function of the ODI, the District Council has joined hands with the State Association to please the ruling party.

Even many items like the sofa and table in the individual chamber for the UP CM will also see the presence of red and green colours.