3 from Tamil Nadu killed in Uttarakhand chopper crash, CM condoles loss of lives
Chennai (PTI): Three pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, including two women, were among those who perished in the helicopter crash in Uttarakhand, the state government said on Wednesday.
Seven pilgrims died after the helicopter ferrying them from Kedarnath temple to Guptkashi crashed into a hill near Kedarnath Dham due to poor visibility on Tuesday.
Expressing deep condolences to the bereaved families, Chief Minister M K Stalin in a statement said the government was coordinating with the Uttarakhand government to bring back the bodies of the deceased to Chennai.
The chopper -a Bell 407 operated by private company burst into flames around 11.45 am on Tuesday at Dev Darshini in Rudraprayag's Garud Chatti.
The crash is said to have taken place within seconds of taking off from the Kedarnath helipad.
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Social media campaigns, flexboards won't decide who will be Kerala CM: Chennithala
New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, a CM hopeful, on Wednesday said that social media campaigns and putting up of flexboards wiill not be the deciding factors for selecting the chief minister of Kerala.
Chennithala made the remark in response to reporters queries in Delhi on the intense social media campaign in favour of V D Satheesan as CM on the ground that he led the UDF poll campaign from the front.
"Who should be CM is not decided based on social media campaigns or the flexboards put up by the supporters. It is decided by the high command in accordance with the procedure already in place.
"As part of that two party observers will reach Kerala by evening and they will speak to all the MLAs. After that, the party high command will take a decision," the senior Congress leader said.
He said that the high command will take the decision based on party interests and everyone will accept it.
Chennithala also rejected queries about whether the alleged contest within the party for the CM post will create any displeasure among the voters.
"There will be no displeasure among voters as there is no contest," he contended.
On whether there was a delay in announcing the CM for Kerala, Chennithala said that the chief minister has not been selected in the other state where polls were held.
"So, can it be said that there is a delay in the case of Kerala?" he asked.
He said that he was in Delhi for a meeting with Rahul Gandhi regarding finalisation of the DCC presidents in Maharashtra.
