Choppers to be high-flyers in Assembly polls this year

New Delhi: Freak helicopter accidents of the recent past have failed to hit demand for air services in the coming Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
Such is the demand that in Madhya Pradesh the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition Congress had booked 16 helicopters, even before the polling dates were announced. And, it is expected to peak after the last date of withdrawal of nominations, as this is the time when parties actually engage in aggressive campaigns.
Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are likely to generate the highest demand for helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, primarily because of their size - Madhya Pradesh has 230 Assembly seats, while Rajasthan has 200. Chhattisgarh, where polls will be in two phases, is also set to see substantial use of aircraft, as a major area there is affected by Naxalism and many regions are still not motorable. Business Standard couldn't independently verify the exact number but the three states are expected to see 20-25 choppers pressed into service.
Read News In full 19/10/13 Sahil Makkar/Business Standard