While one is not still sure whether there will be the formal announcement of the national party by KCR or not, one thing is sure. The party is going to get its own plane. The ruling TRS is all set to buy a 12-seater plane for nation-wide tours and election campaigns. The cost of the plane is said to be around Rs 80 crore and a formal order is likely to be placed on Vijaya Dasami day.
Thus, TRS will become the first political party from South India to own an airplane. Interestingly, neither DMK nor AIADMK, not even TDP or Janata Dal Secular, which were in power for long periods, owned a plane, the TRS, which was in power for nearly 9 years, will buy a plane. The party funders, MLAs and ministers are likely to make hefty donations for buying the plane.
In fact, the TRS is among the richest regional parties. KCR himself has acknowledged that the party has funds to a tune of Rs 860 crore in the form of bank deposits. In addition, the party has assets worth Rs 870 crores. This too was disclosed by KCR at a party meeting. Sources say that the plane would be used for KCR’s travels to various states as part of building a national party.
Sources say that the party has decided to buy a plane because of the strident criticism that KCR is spending from the government exchequer for his tours of various states in his capacity as the chief minister of Telagnana. To offset this, he has decided to own a plane so that the expenses can be born by his party.
