The issue of not using the chief minister's picture on the Patna Literature Fest posters seems to have angered not only the government but also raised the survival question of the three-day annual get-together of writers from across the globe.

With less than a fortnight to go for its inauguration, the fest is embroiled in a controversy over sponsorship. The art and culture department, its title sponsor, has objected to the organiser's move to rope in others to raise funds for the event.

Art and culture minister Vinay Bihari told The Telegraph: 'We do not have any issue with the dates and module of the literature festival. We have objection with the co-sponsor.'

The department claimed that it had already earmarked Rs 25 lakh for the event, which is 'probably enough to organise a planned fest'.

'If we are paying Rs 25 lakh then why should we work on the conditions of co-sponsor? A cement company, the co-sponsor, did not want to put the chief minister's picture on the posters,' he added.

The three-day fest, already a name to reckon with in literary circles across the country, would begin on January 31 if 'everything goes well' according to a member of the organising committee.

Navras School of Performing Arts has been organising the writers' meet since 2013. This year, personalities like Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi are scheduled to attend the meet.

The department has asked Navras to submit the final list of dignitaries which the organisers have failed to submit till date. 'Initially, I asked the organisers to postpone the dates but they told that 75 flight tickets have been booked for the authors, speakers and poets. Then, I asked the organisers to submit the final list. It has been five days and I have not got the list yet. I really doubt if they have really invited 75 dignitaries,' added Bihari.

However, Navras director Ajit Pradhan talked safe. 'I am waiting for the government's final decision. I do not want to comment further to flame up internal conflicts,' said Pradhan.

A media conference was convened by Navras on January 12 but was later called off. 'We have not submitted the list. We will produce it on Monday. A meeting has been convened for the final decision,' the official said.

The art and culture department, on the other hand, is all set to organise the literature festival by its own means. 'These internal conflicts will hamper the image of the state and the department. To keep aside these conflicts, we are thinking of organising the literature festival by our own means. We have also convened a meeting on Monday and everything will be finalised,' added Bihari.

'If the organisers rope in more sponsors, we will probably host the fest on our own. In that case, the festival dates would be postponed to a month or two,' said an official of the art and culture department.

Ram Bachchan Rai, chairman, Patna Literature Festival Committee, still hopes that things would fall into place. 'We will come to a conclusion which will neither hamper the reputation of the state nor the organisers. There are controversies and conflicts behind every successful event. There is also a possibility of postponing the festival,' said Rai.