Hassan: Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy arrived late for a chopper ride from Shravanabelagola to Bengaluru, and ended up undertaking a three-hour journey by road along with two cabinet colleagues, including his brother H D Revanna, as the helicopter flew away after waiting 15 minutes beyond the scheduled take off, on Saturday.
Official sources said Mr Kumaraswamy was scheduled to board the board chopper at 5.15 pm after finishing his campaign for party nominee L.R. Shivarame Gowda in Krishnaraja Pet of Mandya. He, however, arrived at Shravanabelagola at 5.50 pm, to discover that the chopper took off without him at 5.30 pm and flew to Bengaluru. The commercial helicopter could not wait for the Chief Minister as dusk set in, reducing visibility in the area. Mr Kumaraswamy left Bengaluru in a car along with his brother and public works minister H D Revanna and minister for minor irrigation C S . Puttaraju. “Had the CM boarded the helicopter on time, the journey to Bengaluru from Shravanabelagola would have been a mere 30-minute one, but by road it took hours to reach the city,” sources added.
Meanwhile, Hassan police tried their best to retain the chopper to help the CM fly to Bengaluru but the pilots waited for about 15-minutes and left Shravanabelagola.
