It’s Heli-Hopping Time for Candidates! Choppers in Big Demand for Election
Mangaluru: There are state elections and then there are big general elections where people lease helicopters to cover vast regions. This Karnataka State Assembly election seems to be extra fierce somehow so there is great demand for helicopters. The one benefit moving around in a helicopter is that Helicopters don’t need a runway, and you are sure of not getting stuck in a traffic jam- and also helicopters are a favourite with politicians touring remote areas at election time. A helicopter charter costs Rs 70,000- 2.2 lakh, depending on the aircraft chosen. Political parties choose helicopters according to the seniority of the leaders who will use them.
As the final phase of campaigning reaches a crescendo, helicopter services are in great demand among campaigners in Karnataka. The Election Commission has, so far, received 82 applications seeking permission to use chopper services. The BJP tops the list with 53 applications, followed by the JD-S (16) and the Congress (10). The list of approvals for landing helicopters goes to show that star campaigners are all set to make a beeline to Chitradurga, Bagalkot and Raichur districts, all of which are in North Karnataka. The highest number of choppers will land in Chitradurga and Bagalkot as these two districts are witnessing high-profile fights.
Also, they are about 400-500 km away from Bengaluru, the capital, which is located in South Karnataka. There is no clear explanation why Raichur will witness so many helicopter-landings. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah contesting from Badami in Bagalkot district and the BJP pitting B Sreeramulu against him is, no doubt, making it the epicenter of helicopter landings.
Sreeramulu’s contest from Chitradurga district’s Molkalmuru, which is also expected to help BJP’s prospects in Ballari, could not only indicate the candidate’s money-power, but also the importance this region holds due to its many reserved constituencies. The party has given an exclusive helicopter to Yeddyurappa who is touring at least four to five constituencies every day. While the PMO organizes aircraft charter services for the Prime Minister, the party arranges chopper services for Amit Shah.
According to a head of helicopter charter flight operations for the BJP had said that their company keeps helicopters ready for star campaigners who include Chief Ministers of different state and union ministers. It is learnt that the Karnataka BJP, until recently, had three helicopters for the campaign and that Yeddyurappa uses an Augusta 109. BJP has now hired five helicopters and one jet as of now, and will hire two more choppers and one jet on Thursday from this service. The ruling Congress, meanwhile, has rented three helicopters and one jet. These air crafts are given to star campaigners. Besides this, some leaders including Shamanur Shivashankarappa and Satish Jarkiholi, have their own helicopters.
The JD(S) is using two helicopters. While former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda is using one, the other is used by and his son and party president, HD Kumaraswamy. With choppers either being hired from other cities or owned by political leaders, so far, there has been no business from electioneering for the Bengaluru-based Deccan Aviation Pvt Ltd, which runs helicopter charter services.
With inputs from Economic Times
