Who’s who of N-E politics to board A-I’s Bangkok flight

It looks like the Air India flight’s take-off from Guwahati on Thursday will be more political than ever. For the sole reason that its maiden flight from the North-east to Bangkok, will have a number of political leaders on board.

Chief Ministers of at least four states of the North-East, including Tarun Gogoi from Assam, his Meghalaya counterpart F.A. Khonglam, Ibobi Singh of Manipur and Mukut Mithi of Arunachal Pradesh top the list of invitees that Air India and the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has prepared, while almost all the 38 MPs from the region (that includes members of both Houses) have been sent complimentary tickets.

The CMs will be accompanied by their wives, sources here said. Several senior officials of the civil aviation and tourism department are also on the list, sources added.

‘‘It’s tradition. Certain VIPs are always there on the opening flights,’’ said Jitender Bhargava, Director, Public Relations, Air India. When pressed for names, he said it would be known tomorrow.