Nitish Kumar, Sushil Kumar Modi and other mainstream leaders are busy ripping each other apart on the campaign trail but one thing binds them all - their airborne rides.
The chief minister is addressing four to five public rallies daily and so is his ally, the RJD chief, Lalu Prasad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address 10 public meetings in as many districts in the hinterlands through the poll process. BJP president Amit Shah is scheduled to address several workers meet at places like Samastipur and Buxar over the next 10 days. The hectic schedule of the leaders is being seen through thanks to their chopper rides, which take them to several places across the state in a single day.
They take the road too and then it's swanky vehicles designed specifically for their comfort. For instance, Sushil Modi and Lalu own caravan-type vehicles. Few other leaders of BJP travel in Parivartan Rath, the party's hi-tech campaign vehicle. But helicopters still remain the mainstay on the campaign trail.
All the star campaigners are depending heavily on their airborne chariots, including helicopters and chartered aircraft. A total 13 choppers and two chartered aircraft are flying star campaigners from the state hangar every day.
The choppers are also used by leaders coming from outside the state for electioneering. BJP leads the pack of star campaigners in the poll fray as it has lined up leaders, including L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Patna Sahib Lok Sabha MP Shatrughan Sinha and senior Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari, for the work. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi figure prominently in the Congress's list of star campaigners.
Nand Kishore Yadav, the BJP's Patna Sahib MLA in running for the same constituency this time too, said: "I have also hired a chopper for campaigning in this election. It would allow me to address around four public rallies a day across the state."
Though helicopters save time for the leaders, the loud noise of the rotors becomes a cause of concern for many. "I put cotton balls in my ear and wear a headphone while flying in a helicopter. Otherwise, I cannot hear properly for quite some time after de-boarding to address any public meeting," said Sushil Modi.
For the daily rides in the sky, the parties are shelling out anything between Rs 70,000 and Rs 2 lakh an hour. Most of the choppers used are being supplied by aviation firms based outside Bihar, mostly from Delhi or Mumbai. Officials in the state civil aviation directorate said most parties have hired single-engine helicopters, while the BJP has booked the twin-engine ones.
"Single-engine aircraft are comparatively cheaper, so most parties are opting for these. However, twin-engine helicopters are compulsory for flying VVIPs according to directives of the director-general of civil aviation, as they are considered safer. Most helicopters hired by the BJP are twin-engine. The rate across the two type of helicopters is in the range of Rs 70,000-Rs 2 lakh an hour," said Atul Singh, the executive director of Delhi-based Centre for Aviation, Policy, Safety and Research.
However, the frequent use of helicopters poses a chance of dearth of space at the hangar, according to officials, who said during the Lok Sabha campaign last year, 40 choppers had arrived in Patna.
"This space constraint has forced us to instruct the operators to land the helicopters at the state apron from where the choppers are towed to the parking area at the hangar. We might start facing space crunch if the number of choppers rises, which is bound to happen as the poll draws nearer," said Deepak Kumar Singh, the director (operation)-cum-chief pilot, state directorate of civil aviation.
