Thiruvananthapuram: A row in Keralam over Chief Minister V D Satheesan using an undisclosed person’s private aircraft as well as use of a private luxury car and sponsored foreign trips of some ministers aggravated furthe…

Thiruvananthapuram: A row in Keralam over Chief Minister V D Satheesan using an undisclosed person’s private aircraft as well as use of a private luxury car and sponsored foreign trips of some ministers aggravated further with Satheesan strongly defending those acts. Satheesan told reporters on Wednesday that there was nothing wrong in such acts and added that such acts would be done again if required.Helicopter row: ‘Sometimes people have to be met in secret’: V D Satheesan clears air on meeting investors in KochiHe also refused to reveal the identity of the person who provided him a private aircraft to visit calamity hit areas in Malappuram on Monday.The opposition CPI(M) has stepped up attack by terming the Congress-led government as a ‘sponsorship government’. Earlier statements of Satheesan as opposition leader accusing the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government over lack of transparency in foreign trips of then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his Cabinet colleague are being highlighted by the opposition camps to attack Satheesan.CPI(M) hits out at Kerala CM Satheesan over sponsored chartered flight rowWhile there were reports that a Bengaluru-based Malayali offered the private flight to Satheesan, he refused to reveal the identity.”It was a Malayali who provided the flight without any cost. Why should they be dragged into it? They would neither seek any undue favours from the government and the government would neither provide any undue favours,” he said.He also said that many ministers were using old vehicles that often suffer defects. Hence local self government minister K M Shaji used a friend’s luxury car for a couple of days. Satheesan also said that he had asked ministers that they should go on foreign trips so that their exposure could benefit the state.  “What’s wrong in all these? If required, we’ll do these again. You should be feeling ashamed to ask such questions,” Satheesan told reporters.

Source: Deccan Herald