Indian Netas and Their 'Conditional' Love for Helicopters

GVL Rao, a BJP member says that helicopters are extremely necessary during campaigning. He comments, "These machines become very handy during elections. A star campaigner can attend seven-eight rallies, against two-three a day."

Interestingly, what Malik and Rao say are quite true because helicopters do make a significant impact during campaigns as it can reach places at a minimal time.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati used helicopters to woo people during the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Her pilots ensured that they slowly drifted over the gathering in their helicopters so that she could wave to the cheering crowds below.

Yet there is no data available to explain whether helicopters have brought any victory to politicians in poll campaigns.

Simultaneously, operators are beginning to feel the pinch from the expansion of electronic media, new technology and the cap on election expenditure.

H C Malik, a pilot who has flown renowned politicians like former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani says, "It is definitely a concern and operators, too, are increasingly realising it."

But unless technology begins to sieve its path into states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the helicopter rule would continue to stay.

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