Did Manmohan PMO show special interest in keeping Kingfisher flying?

January 27, 2017 23:33

The office of former prime minister Manmohan Singh may have taken a special interest to try and keep afloat Vijay Mallya's ailing Kingfisher Airlines against the run of play, emails and letters claiming this and accessed by CNN-News18 indicate.

In the series of emails and letters making these claims , Mallya thanked the former PM for sparing the time to talk to him and also acknowledged that former principal secretary TKA Nair spoke to the ministries concerned - apparently civil aviation and petroleum - to help the ailing airline.

Thank you for sparing time to meet me on September 8th to explain the... difficulties being faced by Kingfisher Airlines. I had also informed your goodself that we had approached our consortium of Banks, led by State Bank of India to grant us additional financial support urgently. You had asked me to follow up with Mr TKA Nair , which I did and I am deeply appreciative of the fact that Mr Nair immediately spoke to the concerned people in the Ministries involved (sic), Mallyas letter to Singh on October 4, 2011 said.

Another letter sent by Mallya to his top management showed the business tycoon was expecting an infusion of funds after his requests to the top government.

In a third letter, Mallya thanked Singh for the "positive statement of support" issued during a formal meet-the-press on board Air India One while returning from a trip to Maldives.

This was what Singh had said then: Private sector airlines have to be managed efficiently if they do get into difficulties. We have to find ways and means to help them get out of their losses. But I have not applied my mind to Kingfisher problems. When I get back, I will talk to Mr Vayalar Ravi (then civil aviation minister) and we will explore ways and means in which the airlines can be helped.

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