NCP leader Jitendra Awhad.
Credit: PTI Photo
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Jitendra Awhad on Friday said Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde should not have insisted on flying to Satara in a helicopter despite the inclement weather.
On Thursday, a state government helicopter carrying the chief minister to Dare village in Satara from Mumbai was diverted due to bad weather to Juhu in the metropolis, where it landed safely.
According to sources, the Airbus Helicopters-manufactured chopper was 10 minutes away from Dare village, where it was scheduled to land, when the twin-engine copter was turned back due to inclement weather in the western Maharashtra district.
Awhad, in a tweet on Friday, said, "Hon. chief minister sir, there are definitely political differences between us. I cannot forget that before you became the chief minister, we had a very close bond of affection."
There is an unwritten global directive that helicopters should never be flown in bad weather, the former state minister said, citing that Shinde's action was wrong from the point of view of Maharashtra and from his personal point of view.
"I am personally not convinced that you should take such a stand or be so adamant. No matter what anyone says, we were once good friends. It is in this connection that I am writing this. Never do that again." Awhad tweeted.