With helicopter delays hampering his campaign in Uttar Pradesh, BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Tuesday lashed out at the Congress, alleging a “conspiracy,” and demanded that the Election Commission probe the matter.
Mr. Modi, who had rallies scheduled in Rewa, Shahdol, Satna and Jabalpur from 1 p.m., was held up in Delhi for 90 minutes and for another hour in Bareilly as he did not get clearance from Air Traffic Controllers, ostensibly due to bad weather, He reached Rewa only around 4 p.m.
In the evening, the BJP in New Delhi petitioned the EC, urging it to direct civil aviation authorities to ensure that such lapses did not recur.
A PTI report, citing official sources, said Mr. Modi’s aircraft was delayed because it didn’t have air defence clearances needed at the Air Force station in Bareilly.