New Delhi (PTI): IndiGo on Tuesday operated four repatriation flights to Jeddah and plans to have another flight to Muscat later in the day to bring back passengers stranded due to the Middle East conflict.

There are also plans to operate repatriation flights to cities in the UAE on March 4, depending on the local situation and required necessary approvals, the airline said in a statement.

After suspending flights to the Middle East and Europe due to the ongoing situation, IndiGo said it would start reinstating select flights to Muscat (Oman), Jeddah, Madinah (Saudi Arabia) and Athens (Greece).

The airline would operate a total of 26 flights to and from these four destinations.

"For all other stations, IndiGo is closely monitoring the situation and working with the relevant authorities for local slots and permits to progressively restore its operational schedule," it said.

Regarding the repatriation flights for March 3, the airline said four such flights are now enroute to Jeddah and one is expected to be operated to/from Muscat, later in the day.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday expressed confidence that the ruling Congress will secure a decisive victory in the Assembly bypolls scheduled for April 9 in the Bagalkote and Davanagere South constituencies, citing a favourable ground response to the party’s guarantee schemes.

These are ‘Shakti’, ‘Gruha Lakshmi’, ‘Gruha Jyoti’, ‘Yuva Nidhi’ and ‘Anna Bhagya’.

The bypolls were necessitated by the demise of sitting Congress MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, who represented Davanagere South and Bagalkote constituencies, respectively.

The Congress has fielded Shivashankarappa’s grandson, Samarth Shamanur, in Davanagere South and Umesh Meti in Bagalkote. They are locked in direct contests with BJP candidates T Dasakariyappa and Veerabhadrayya Charantimath.

“Both Bagalkote and Davanagere are very positive. Congress workers are doing an excellent job, going door to door and convincing people about the guarantee schemes,” Shivakumar told reporters here.

He said even voters who had earlier supported the BJP were now inclined towards the Congress.

“Even those who voted for the BJP earlier are saying they will vote for Congress. People want the guarantees to continue and are expressing difficulties due to rising prices,” he said.

Expressing confidence of an improved electoral performance, he added, “There is a strong sense that we will win with a bigger margin than before.”

Shivakumar also said he would travel to Kerala for two days and resume campaigning thereafter. “I am going to Kerala for two days. After returning, we will continue the campaign from Davanagere,” he said.

Referring to the shortage of LPG, including auto LPG, in the state, Shivakumar blamed the BJP-led government and called for immediate intervention by the Centre.

“The LPG shortage is due to the BJP. Auto drivers and those in the transport sector are facing difficulties,” he claimed.

“This is something the central government has to address. It must formulate proper policies and take precautionary measures,” he said, adding that the BJP should apologise to the public.

“They should come forward and apologise to the people for the inconvenience caused and resolve the issues they have created,” he said.