Jagan's flight diversion to London enroute Switzerland kicks up row

Visakhapatnam: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's unscheduled halt at London on the way to Davos in Switzerland to attend the annual session of World Economic Forum (WEF) to showcase investment potential in Andhra Pradesh has triggered a political storm in the State.

While Finance Minister Bugganna Rajendranath and Industries Minister Gudivada Amarnath in separate statements decried the Opposition for trying to politicise everything at a time when the team from AP led by Jagan Mohan Reddy was on a mission to seek investments in decarbonised economy and other sectors in the State, TDP Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said the London visit was in violation of permission given by CBI court probing corruption charges against the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister, according to the officials, was scheduled to reach Davos after landing in Zurich in a special aircraft on Friday evening, but it was forced to land in London due to denial of permission to refuel the flight at Istanbul owing to heavy traffic.

Rajendranath in a statement from Czechoslovakia, where he was on an official visit and Amarnath in a video uploaded on his Facebook account, said in consultation with the officials of Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs, the Chief Minister had to make night halt in London. He could not take off the next morning as the pilot and crew were supposed to rest for certain hours as per the norms of the Director General of Civil Aviation. Finally, the entourage comprising Chief Minister's wife Bharati Reddy and Aviation Advisor Bharat Reddy were received by Industries Minister Amarnath, IAS officer KS Jawahar Reddy and few others at Zurich on Saturday evening.

TDP leader Yanamala Ramakrishnudu alleged that the Chief Minister deviated his route to London for 'personal reasons.' He said the entire foreign trip was aimed at depositing his black money and alleged that the diversion of flight was in violation of conditional permission given by the CBI Court in Hyderabad for specific purpose to take part in WEF annual meeting.

Amarnath said the TDP was devoid of any ideology and principles and its allegations were just a figment of imagination. He clarified that as per norms in Zurich, no flight could land after 10 pm forcing the Chief Minister and his entourage to stay overnight in London.