Chopper delay: Akhilesh Yadav rejects air traffic claim, asks no traffic for BJP leaders?

New Delhi: Reacting to Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav’s allegation, the Delhi airport official on Friday (January 28) said that his helicopter for Muzaffarnagar was delayed due to high air traffic. “Akhilesh Yadav’s chopper was not granted permission by Air Traffic Control (ATC) to fly initially because of high air traffic. After the clearance was given, the chopper had less fuel. After refuelling, the chopper flew to the destined place,” said a Delhi airport official.

Akhilesh Yadav alleged that his helicopter was stopped at Delhi airport without any reason. Akhilesh had reached Delhi by commercial flight from Lucknow and had to travel by helicopter to attend a joint press conference with Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Choudhary at Muzaffarnagar.

“People told me that BJP leaders had taken off before me… I was told about air traffic…but no air traffic for BJP leaders who had taken off? They didn’t have to wait while I had to wait for over 2 hours… no matter what BJP does, people of UP will remove them,” countered. Akhilesh Yadav.  He added, “I was in the chopper for over 2 hours. I am hoping that EC looks into it. If someone has to go for a rally, how will they work if their chopper is stopped for so long…seems like BJP will do anything before polls.”

The SP chief alleged that his chopper was not allowed to fly from Delhi to Muzaffarnagar as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was “disappointed”. Akhilesh also claimed that a BJP leader was allowed to take off from the same airport while he was stopped.

Taking to Twitter, Akhilesh had said, “My helicopter is still detained in Delhi without assigning any reason and is not being allowed to go to Muzaffarnagar. While a top BJP leader has just flown from here. This is a desperate conspiracy of the losing BJP. People are understanding everything….”

Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, a joint press conference of Akhilesh Yadav and Jayant Chaudhary was called in Muzaffarnagar. Elections for the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. 

(With ANI inputs)

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