Amid the row over the delay in Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav's helicopter to take off at Delhi airport, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister on Friday alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can do anything before the upcoming Assembly polls.
Akhilesh Yadav alleged that his helicopter was stopped at Delhi airport without any reason.
Akhilesh Yadav 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 on his way to Muzaffarnagar from Delhi.
Speaking to ANI, Yadav said, "I was in the chopper for over two 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? It seems like BJP will do anything before polls."
"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 did not have to wait while I had to wait for over two hours. No matter what BJP does, people of Uttar Pradesh will remove them," he added.
Reacting to Akhilesh Yadav's allegation, the Delhi airport official on Friday 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.
The SP chief alleged that his chopper was not allowed to fly from Delhi to Muzaffarnagar as the ruling 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, Yadav 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 inputs from ANI )
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