Differences in NDA, decision on Prez poll deferred

June 17, 2012

New Delhi, Jun 17: Strong reservations from key ally JD-U over pitting a candidate against UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee today forced the NDA to defer its decision on the Presidential election.

At a two-hour inconclusive meeting of the NDA, the JD-U is believed to have disavoured a fight against Mukherjee because of his stature but BJP is said to have been keen on backing former Speaker P A Sangma, who has been propped up by BJD and AIADMK with an eye on the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

After the meeting at BJP leader L K Advani's residence, from which BJP's oldest ideological ally Shiv Sena kept away, NDA convener Sharad Yadav merely said more discussions were needed to arrive at a right decision.

"The NDA meeting took place today. Various leaders put forth their views in detail. More discussions are required in this regard to arrive at the right decision.

"L K Advani will talk to Chief Ministers of NDA-ruled states and all others. NDA will meet sometime later again to take a decision in this regard. Those outside (Delhi) will also be consulted," Tadav told reporters after the meeting.

The JD-U, which shares power with BJP in Bihar, was clear that there is no strong purpose served by contesting against Mukherjee, a tall leader with vast experience in government and Parliament, and more so when the UPA has a clear edge in the electoral college.

However, BJP leaders including Advani and Sushma Swaraj are understood to have argued that Mukherjee should not go uncontested, especially in view of the Lok Sabha polls due two years hence.

The BJP is said to be keen on supporting Sangma so that the alliance could rope in parties like BJD and AIADMK that could be valuable in the next Lok Sabha elections.

While Yadav did make the point against contesting Mukherjee, he was not averse to going with the BJP should it persist with a fight in the Presidential election.

However, Shivanand Tiwari, the other JD-U leader, who is considered close to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, strongly opposed a contest. This is seen as an attempt by Nitish Kumar to keep his options open.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mukherjee had called Kumar on Friday seeking JD-U's support for the UPA candidate.

BJP leaders remained tight-lipped after the meeting and downplayed any differences within the NDA, saying more consultations were required as it is a democratic alliance.

BJP leaders felt Advani should stay in touch with AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik so that the options of a contest are still open.

Shiv Sena, the oldest ideological ally of the BJP, skipped the key meeting of alliance leaders here, triggering speculation the party was opposed to a fight due to lack of numbers.

"Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackerey will take a decision on the issue," said party leader Sanjay Raut, when asked about speculation that the Sena was against fielding any candidate against Pranab Mukherjee, UPAs Presidential nominee.

Shiv Sena had not backed former Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in the Presidential poll last time despite BJP and several others in the alliance supporting him.

At that time, it had backed Pratibha Patil--she being the first Maharashtrian to be nominated for the top post of President.

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Chaos continues as IndiGo cancels more flights including 73 from Bengaluru airport

News Network

December 4,2025

Domestic carrier IndiGo has cancelled over 180 flights from three major airports — Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru — on Thursday, December 4, as the airline struggles to secure the required crew to operate its flights in the wake of new flight-duty and rest-period norms for pilots.

While the number of cancellations at Mumbai airport stands at 86 (41 arrivals and 45 departures) for the day, at Bengaluru, 73 flights have been cancelled, including 41 arrivals, according to a PTI report that quoted sources.

"IndiGo cancelled over 180 flights on Thursday at three airports-Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru," the source told the news agency.

Besides, it had cancelled as many as 33 flights at Delhi airport for Thursday, the source said, adding, "The number of cancellations is expected to be higher by the end of the day."

The Gurugram-based airline's On-Time Performance (OTP) nosedived to 19.7 per cent at six key airports — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad — on December 3, as it struggled to get the required crew to operate its services, down from almost half of December 2, when it was 35 per cent.

"IndiGo has been facing acute crew shortage since the implementation of the second phase of the FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) norms, leading to cancellations and huge delays in its operations across the airports," a source had told PTI on Wednesday.

Chaos continued at several major airports for the third day on Thursday because of the cancellations.

A spokesperson for the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru said that 73 IndiGo flights had been cancelled on Thursday.

At least 150 flights were cancelled and dozens of others delayed on Wednesday, airport sources said, leaving thousands of travellers stranded, according to news agency Reuters.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has said it is investigating IndiGo flight disruptions and has asked the airline to submit the reasons for the current situation, as well as its plans to reduce flight cancellations and delays.

It may be mentioned here that the pilots' body, Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), has alleged that IndiGo, despite getting a two-year preparatory window before the full implementation of new flight duty and rest period norms for cockpit crew, "inexplicably" adopted a "hiring freeze".

The FIP said it has urged the safety regulator, the DGCA, not to approve airlines' seasonal flight schedules unless they have adequate staff to operate their services "safely and reliably" in accordance with the New Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms.

In a letter to the DGCA late on Wednesday, the FIP urged the DGCA to consider re-evaluating and reallocating slots to other airlines, which have the capacity to operate them without disruption during the peak holiday and fog season if IndiGo continues to "fail in delivering on its commitments to passengers due to its own avoidable staffing shortages."

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