Kamal Nath (second from right): flouting EC guidelines?Former Union Minister Kamal Nath and his political opponent in Madhya Pradesh Sunderlal Patwa have a lot in common. Both are heavyweight politicians; both have contested and won elections from Chhindwara; and both love flying high - not just politically but by aircraft as well. And that's what they've locked horns over now.Patwa, former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and senior BJP leader, has fired the first salvo, raising objections to Kamal Nath's frequent trips to Chhindwara - the Congress leader's Lok Sabha constituency for five terms - by a special plane and helicopters.Patwa, who wrested the seat from Kamal Nath in a by-election last year, says he has complained to the Election Commission (EC) that the former Union minister was using for electioneering a plane he had purchased in September last year from the Madhya Pradesh Government for Span Air Pvt. Ltd, a company owned by his family. But Patwa is obviously playing to the gallery because EC officials in Bhopal deny having received any such complaint. The BJP leader smells a scam not only in the purchase deal but also in the fact that the state Government recently hired a helicopter from the same company at "exorbitant rates". Alleging that no tenders were invited before the deal, he says, "This is a scandal on the eve of elections and I demand a high-level inquiry into it." Patwa smells a scam in the sale of a state plane to Kamal Nath's firm. The state Government, however, denies any irregularity in the sale of the Beechcraft Super King to Span Air. It asserts that the deal was totally transparent and the plane was sold to the highest bidder after floating an open tender. Says S.H. Ali, director, state civil aviation: "The plane, purchased for Rs 2.13 crore in 1983, was sold for more than double that amount - Rs 4.9 crore - after 13 years."Conceding that after the sale the Civil Aviation Department hired a helicopter from the same company, Ali says through that deal the Government saved almost Rs 4 crore in the past four months.It paid Span Air at the rate of Rs 30,000 per flying hour for hiring the chopper, while earlier the department paid Rs 31,000 per flying hour to the public-sector Pawan Hans for flying and maintenance of its helicopters - this, apart from a fixed amount of Rs 2.75 lakh per month. .preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Moreover, now the fuel cost too is borne by Span Air. However, the contract was terminated earlier this month as, following the EC's directive forbidding use of state aircraft by ministers for campaigning, the state no longer needed it.Behind the controversy lies both Kamal Nath and Patwa's fascination for flying. While the Congress leader - a pilot himself - can afford to fly because of his business empire, Patwa developed a taste for it during his chief ministership in the late '80s. Even though he is out of office now, he still flies around - with the assistance of some NRI friends.The rivalry between the two politicians took an amusing turn last month when both of them landed in their own aircraft at Dhule in Maharashtra to fly Hindu religious preacher Sant Asharam to Chhindwara. The sant's large following, no doubt, gave wings to their mission. Asharam spurned Patwa's offer and flew with Kamal Nath. Says Patwa: "I myself advised Asharamji to fly with his new disciple." But retorts Kamal Nath, "He preferred me." It's to be seen which of these high-fliers the people of Chhindwara opt for in the polls.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Feb 9, 1998--- ENDS ---
