Flight row: Opposition demands transparency over CM Satheesan’s chartered Malappuram trip
- On Wednesday, Chief Minister Satheesan defended his use of a private flight to reach Malappuram on Monday following a disaster, though he refused to disclose the sponsor's identity.
- Satheesan explained he required urgent travel to Malappuram where six people had died in the disaster, citing former Chief Ministers Pinarayi Vijayan and Oommen Chandy as precedent for private plane usage.
- The Chief Minister also defended Minister for Local Self Governments Shaji, whose official car was ten years old and breaking down frequently, and endorsed foreign trips sponsored by the Malayali diaspora.
- Satheesan asserted that no government money was spent on his flight or ministers' trips, which are supported by over 1,000 organisations of Keralites across the Gulf and UAE.
- He pledged to continue authorizing such private travel to ease strain on the state exchequer, while addressing the power crisis by pursuing an additional 150 MW from NPCIL.
14 Articles
14 Articles
‘I will travel again’: VD Satheesan defends chartered flight journey, ministers’ foreign trips
Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan defended his chartered flight to Malappuram and the foreign trips of his ministers. He clarified that no public money was utilized for these journeys and emphasized the necessity of his visit after a tragedy. Satheesan remarked that former chief ministers had also traveled in similar private aircraft. He responded to criticism regarding the use of luxury vehicles by saying they are not unusual.
Thiruvananthapuram: MLA V. Muraleedharan questioned the Chief Minister's chartered flight. There have been natural disasters in Kottayam and Malappuram. But the Chief Minister did not go to Kottayam but to Malappuram. Muraleedharan also demanded clarification whether the Chief Minister went directly because there were no ministers in Malappuram. Muraleedharan asked who owned the plane used by the Chief Minister to go to Malappuram and what was t…
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