JD(S) alleges DGCA denied permission to charter flights to Kochi for MLAs

Amid a power struggle in Karnataka, the JD(S) today alleged that chartered flights that were scheduled to carry its legislators along with those of the Congress from here to Kochi were denied permission by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation at the last minute.

However, a Civil Aviation Ministry official said DGCA permission was not required for charter operations within India.

"We are just working out, all flights have been denied permission...flights that were confirmed, last minute there is a problem," a JD(S) source told PTI when asked about JD(S) legislators travelling to Kochi, Kerala.

Asked whether the plan was for both the Congress and JD(S) MLAs travelling together, the source said, "Plan was there....you know what all kinds of things, they are doing."

The JD(S) MLAs were taken from a hotel in the city, and the Congress legislators from a resort, out of Bangalore in buses to an undisclosed destination, reported to be Puducherry or Kochi or Hyderabad. However, there was no confirmation about the destination.

Fearing poaching of their legislators by the BJP, the Congress and the JD(S) had earlier decided to fly them to a resort in Kochi.

BJP legislature party leader B S Yeddyurappa was today sworn-in as the chief minister of Karnataka. Yeddyurappa has 15 days to prove his majority in the Assembly.

The BJP has 104 MLAs in the House. The Congress won 78 seats, while the JD(S) was victorious in 37 constituencies.

Polling was held in 222 of the state's 224 seats, for which results were declared on May 15, delivering up a hung House.

Kerala minister and JD(S) leader Mathew T Thomas told ANI that he is not sure if Karnataka MLAs are coming by flight or not. "Not sure about destination if they come here, they're welcome."