‘What's wrong if chief minister travels in helicopter, we didn’t complain when Pinarayi Vijayan used it’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister K Muraleedharan stepped forward justifying Chief Minister V D Satheesan in the controversy surrounding his helicopter journey, saying there is nothing wrong with a chief minister using a helicopter.

As criticism over it intensified, Muraleedharan questioned why the issue was being blown out of proportion. He pointed that former chief minister K Karunakaran had made extensive use of helicopters during his tenure.

‘Helicopters are used when there is an urgent need. Otherwise, one could simply travel by car. They are meant for situations for one to reach the destination quickly if going by road or train is delayed. That is a common practice. What is wrong with that? We never complained when Pinarayi Vijayan used helicopters,’ said Muraleedharan.

It was M B Rajesh who alleged that the government-leased helicopter was used by Chief Minister V D Satheesan for a private purpose. The issue drew attention because, while serving as leader of the opposition, Satheesan had strongly criticized the then chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan for using the helicopter.

The left leaders claimed that Satheesan used the helicopter not for an official function but to visit his father-in-law. They also alleged that, unlike the previous LDF government which used helicopters for official duties, flood relief operations, and organ transplant missions, the present UDF government had misused the service for personal purposes. Despite mounting criticism, Chief Minister V D Satheesan has not yet responded to the allegations.