Travel Permission Denied to NCP Leader Sharad Pawar Ahead of 3 Poll Meetings in Different Places

Following a rally in Velhe, the leader had to travel via road.

2 May 2024

By Khushi Maheshwari

On Tuesday, the NCP supremo had 3 consecutive poll meetings to attend in three different places, namely Otur, Warje and Velhe. Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT) was expected to be present at the Warje gathering. 

The chopper which was under the control of the Indian Air Force (IAF) was put into service to transport Pawar. However, the chopper was abruptly refused clearance at approximately 4 p.m, leaving the veteran leader with no choice but to hit the road to reach desired destinations. 

Meanwhile, NCP employees and office bearers claim that political pressure was the reason behind the purposeful denial of authorization for the helicopter to fly. At RMD college grounds in Warje Malwadi, the Maha Vikas Agahadi (MVA) arranged a rally in support of Supriya Sule, the candidate for the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency. In addition to Sharad Pawar, those in attendance were Uddhav Thackeray, senior Congress politician Balasaheb Thorat, and state Congress president Nana Patole. 

Meeting organizers for NCP (SP) Bhor-Velhe voiced their dissatisfaction stating that the Otur public rally was delayed by 3 hours and that on Tuesday their party president Sharad Pawar was to take flight in his helicopter after the public rally planned in Velhe to Warje; but around 4 p.m. the permission was suddenly rejected. After probing into the denial of permission it was found that the Air Traffic Control had denied it. 

Even after these hurdles, Pawar’s conveyance to the destination was facilitated by his party members. A car dropped the leader to Warje Malwadi rally ground through Khadakwasla backwater. 

As per an aviation expert who chose to remain anonymous, the reason for the rejection of permission might have been subpar quality of light in the evening or bustling air traffic. However, Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Air Traffic Control (ATC) officers were unavailable to comment on the decision. 

Sharad Pawar has been the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for 4 terms as of yet and also been part of the Union Council of Ministers in the past.