Aviators queue up to lend copters for poll campaigners

Sources said senior officials of these chopper companies have made lucrative offers to the state and national party chiefs in Patna as well as in Delhi. These include rate of flying hours and safety devices in their helicopters.

It is reliably learnt that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hired four choppers, while the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Lok Janshakti Party and Janata Dal-United (JD-U) have ordered to hire two helicopters each from different firms, which include Asian Aviation Ltd, Deccan Aviation and Trans Bharat Aviation Limited.

While a five-seat helicopter costs Rs 70,000 a day, choppers with twin-engine cost
Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh per day. This exclude aviation fuel charges, and stay of the pilots in leading hotels.

Though Bihar’s election is six-phased, the BJP wants to use the campaign period in an optimum way, and has therefore requisitioned four choppers. 

The Congress has preferred twin-engine helicopter for its star campaigners, including party president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul.

The ruling JD(U) has earmarked a chopper exclusively for its party strongman Nitish Kumar, while the other one will be used by Sharad Yadav and other bigwigs.