Probe Pilot8217;s flight

JAMMU, JAN 20: The Bharatiya Janata Party BJP has demanded a probe into the use of State aircraft by former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Rajesh Pilot, for returning to Delhi from here, recently.

Addressing a press conference here, yesterday, senior BJP leader and former member of Parliament Prof Chaman Lal Gupta criticised the ruling National Conference Government for providing state aircraft to Pilot, in violation of the model code of conduct issued by the Election Commission.

8220;The people should know as to who has paid for it,8221; he said.Also announcing the party8217;s decision to contest all the six Lok Sabha seats in the State, the BJP leader said he did not expect free and fair elections. Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah was frequently using the State aircraft and his ministers were holding party meetings in Dak Bungalows.8220;However, we will give them a befitting reply in case free and fair polls are held in the State,8221; Gupta said. Thousands of people all over the State were joining the BJP, while the NC was accepting leaders from other parties to field them as candidates during the ensuing polls, he added.Bashir Naz, a Gujjar leader and former MLA from Poonch, also joined the BJP on the occasion. Naz criticised the ruling NC for having failed on all fronts, saying it was hoodwinking people in the name of autonomy. He demanded 20 per cent reservation of seats in the State Assembly for Gujjars and Bakerwals.Liaquat Ali alias Hilal Haider, chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Ikhwan, who recently joined the party was also present.