44 lakhs spent on Punjab CM's visit to Gujarat, disclosed by RTI

The Civil Aviation Department of the state will have to pay a bill of Rs 44.86 lakh for the aircraft used for the visit of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal to Gujarat. Bhagwant Mann and Kejriwal had visited Gujarat from April 1 to 3 and made a virtual start of the party's campaign for the assembly elections to be held there in December.

It is noteworthy that during the three-day Gujarat tour, Bhagwant Mann and Kejriwal visited several prominent places including Sabarmati Ashram and addressed the public while organizing a road show in Ahmedabad. Harmilap Singh Grewal, a resident of Bathinda, who was earlier a member of the Aam Aadmi Party and contested the election as a candidate of Samyukta Samaj Morcha after leaving the party without getting a ticket, was filed under RTI on behalf of Bhagwant Mann during his visit to Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Expenditure details were sought.

The Civil Aviation Department has informed that the department has received a bill of Rs 44,85,967 for the aircraft hired for the Chief Minister's visit to Gujarat from April 1 to 3. However, in the reply by the department, it was also said that on April 6, the Chief Minister's visit to Himachal Pradesh was done through a government helicopter, which has been recorded in the official visit.