A technical snag in a helicopter scheduled to carry Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Pankaja Munde for election campaigning delayed her travel on Tuesday, officials said, briefly disrupting her itinerary in the run-up to the February 7 Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections. The defect was detected late on Monday night, hours before the planned departure to Latur, prompting aviation staff to ground the aircraft as a safety precaution.

Munde, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and state environment minister, had arrived in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Monday via chartered plane and used the same helicopter for earlier campaign activities. During a routine post-flight inspection later that night, technicians identified technical issues with the helicopter, according to airport officials at Chikalthana Airport. As a result, the helicopter was not cleared for Tuesday’s scheduled 11 a.m. flight, leading to at least a two-hour delay in her travel plans.

Officials said Munde ultimately continued her journey after alternate arrangements were made, though the delay impacted the timing of her planned rallies in Latur. Speaking to reporters, Munde described the helicopter as older equipment but emphasized that campaign work would proceed unabated. She underscored that the inspection and grounding of the aircraft were necessary for safety, particularly in light of recent concerns over air travel by political figures.

Also Read: Sitharaman Welcomes US Tariff Reduction to 18% on Indian Goods

The incident comes against a backdrop of heightened aviation safety scrutiny in Maharashtra following the January 28 chartered aircraft crash near Baramati airport in Pune district that killed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others. Munde acknowledged that flying has created anxiety among party workers since the fatal accident, though she expressed commitment to fulfilling her election duties.

Political reactions to the helicopter snag included calls from some leaders for more rigorous maintenance protocols for VIP aircraft. Critics have suggested that increased operational pressures and aging equipment warrant stricter safety oversight to prevent avoidable technical failures.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and airport authorities stated that the issue will be reviewed as part of standard safety procedures. No injuries were reported in connection with the helicopter snag, and Munde was reported to remain on schedule with her campaign following the resolution of the aircraft issue.

Also Read: Three Minor Sisters Jump from Ninth Floor in Ghaziabad Apartment