Air India, Vistara, IndiGo to operate scheduled flights to Dhaka on Wednesday
New Delhi (PTI): Air India will operate its scheduled flights from Delhi to Dhaka on Wednesday and is also likely to operate a special flight to bring back people from the Bangladesh capital, according to sources.
Vistara and IndiGo will also operate their scheduled flights on Wednesday to Dhaka, which is witnessing a volatile situation amid protests.
On Tuesday, Air India operated its evening flight to Dhaka. It had cancelled the morning flight to the city.
Bangladesh has been witness to dramatic developments in the last couple of days. Sheikh Hasina, who ruled the country with an iron fist for 15 years, resigned as prime minister on Monday following massive protests that initially began as an agitation against a job quota scheme but weeks later morphed into a mass movement demanding her ouster from power.
Sources said Air India will operate its scheduled two daily flights from Delhi to Dhaka on Wednesday. The airline is also likely to operate a special flight to bring back people from Dhaka, they said.
Vistara and IndiGo will operate scheduled services to the Bangladesh capital from Wednesday, the sources said.
As per schedule, Vistara operates daily flights from Mumbai and three weekly services from Delhi to Dhaka.
Both Vistara and IndiGo had cancelled their Tuesday flights to the Bangladesh capital.
Normally, IndiGo operates one daily flight from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai to Dhaka, and two daily services to the Bangladesh capital from Kolkata.
On Tuesday evening, Air India said it will operate its evening flights AI237/238 on the Delhi-Dhaka-Delhi sector.
In a statement, the carrier also said that due to the prevailing situation there, a one-time waiver on rescheduling is being offered to passengers having confirmed bookings on any of its flights to and from Dhaka between August 4 and 7.
The offer will be applicable for tickets booked on or prior to August 5.
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CPI(M) rebel Kunhikrishnan hopes for 5,000-vote win in Payyanur
Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): CPI(M) rebel candidate V Kunhikrishnan, who contested as a UDF-backed Independent from Payyanur here, on Saturday said he was hoping to win the Assembly election by a margin of 5,000 votes.
Kunhikrishnan was expelled from the CPI(M) earlier this year after raising allegations of corruption in the party’s martyrs’ fund against sitting MLA T I Madhusoodanan.
Speaking to a TV channel, Kunhikrishnan said he had announced his candidature as a mark of protest and not with expectations of victory.
However, he said the situation had changed drastically, with a strong undercurrent within CPI(M) votes favouring him.
"The undercurrent in CPI(M) votes cannot be measured. Now people are giving a response indicating victory with a margin of at least 5,000 votes," he said.
Payyanur is considered a CPI(M) stronghold, and a defeat for Madhusoodanan there would be a major setback for the party.
On political violence in Payyanur, Kunhikrishnan said he had been facing it since filing his nomination.
"The people leading this violence should think about how long they can continue it. It is the police which has to take the initiative to stop this violence as part of maintaining law and order. But the police are not intervening at the required level," he said.
Regarding his political future, Kunhikrishnan said efforts were underway to strengthen Left groups, and discussions were being held across Kerala in that regard.
"After discussing with others, a decision will be taken," he said.
Kunhikrishnan is among six former CPI(M) leaders who either exited the party or were suspended before contesting for the UDF in the April 9 Assembly elections.
Elections to the 140-seat Kerala Assembly were held on April 9, and the counting of votes will be held on May 4.
