FLIGHT OF FANCY

The Muzaffarnagar riots may have brought his image to a crashing thud, but Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is still flying high. The state government is going to purchase new VIP aircraft for the Chief Minister, according to the supplementary budget for 2013- 14 which set aside Rs 40 crore for it. Akhilesh, who holds the finance portfolio in the government, already has 10 aircraft. The Chief Minister is apparently partial to a Falcon, which has a spacious cabin, comfortable sofa- size chairs, and a GPS- enabled screen. Better to fly over trouble with.