BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi addresses a rally in Rewa in Madhya Pradesh
Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh:
Narendra Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, today alleged a conspiracy after his flights to Uttar Pradesh and then Madhya Pradesh were hit by delays. The BJP has asked the Election Commission to instruct civil aviation authorities to ensure quick clearances for his flights. (Full coverage: India Votes 2014)
Mr Modi said Air Traffic Control officers in the capital deliberately withheld permission for his plane to take off. The aircraft, owned by the Adani Group, was meant to fly Mr Modi to Pantnagar in Uttar Pradesh, from where he was to take a helicopter to his rally in Bareilly.
But aviation ministry officials told NDTV that the flight plan for the Adani-owned Challenger aircraft didn't have all the needed clearances. So eventually, Mr Modi decided to take a helicopter instead from Delhi to Bareilly.
After landing there nearly two hours behind schedule, Mr Modi apologised to his audience, but said his late arrival was not his fault.
"I was at the Delhi airport from 9.30 am onwards but our aircraft was not being allowed to take off," Mr Modi told a crowd in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, his first stop.
After the rally at Bareilly, at a defense airfield, Mr Modi's helicopter had to wait till all clearances were obtained from Delhi.
Eventually, Mr Modi took a helicopter from Bareilly to the Pantnagar airport where he was met by the Adani-owned aircraft which then flew him to Madhya Pradesh.
He reached his rally in Rewa nearly three hours behind schedule. So, at the rally, he charged the UPA of orchestrating flight delays for him.
"The helicopter may or may not take-off but the government at the Centre will definitely be sent packing," he declared.
The Congress, in turn, mocked Mr Modi for using aircraft owned by industrialists. "If the planes owned by his industrialist-friends don't land on time, don't blame us," said Abhishek Manu Singhvi of the Congress. (The Final Word: India's Biggest Opinion Poll)
Mr Modi said Air Traffic Control officers in the capital deliberately withheld permission for his plane to take off. The aircraft, owned by the Adani Group, was meant to fly Mr Modi to Pantnagar in Uttar Pradesh, from where he was to take a helicopter to his rally in Bareilly.
But aviation ministry officials told NDTV that the flight plan for the Adani-owned Challenger aircraft didn't have all the needed clearances. So eventually, Mr Modi decided to take a helicopter instead from Delhi to Bareilly.
After landing there nearly two hours behind schedule, Mr Modi apologised to his audience, but said his late arrival was not his fault.
"I was at the Delhi airport from 9.30 am onwards but our aircraft was not being allowed to take off," Mr Modi told a crowd in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, his first stop.
After the rally at Bareilly, at a defense airfield, Mr Modi's helicopter had to wait till all clearances were obtained from Delhi.
Eventually, Mr Modi took a helicopter from Bareilly to the Pantnagar airport where he was met by the Adani-owned aircraft which then flew him to Madhya Pradesh.
He reached his rally in Rewa nearly three hours behind schedule. So, at the rally, he charged the UPA of orchestrating flight delays for him.
"The helicopter may or may not take-off but the government at the Centre will definitely be sent packing," he declared.
The Congress, in turn, mocked Mr Modi for using aircraft owned by industrialists. "If the planes owned by his industrialist-friends don't land on time, don't blame us," said Abhishek Manu Singhvi of the Congress. (The Final Word: India's Biggest Opinion Poll)
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