EPS, Stalin take same flight, Covid protocol keeps it incident-free

EPS, Stalin take same flight, Covid protocol keeps it incident-free

Chennai/Madurai:  30.10.2020

When chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and leader of opposition M K Stalin were scheduled to take the same Indigo flight from Chennai to Madurai on Thursday, there was an air of expectation on how things would pan out during the journey.

Though political rivals, Stalin had recently made it a point to personally call on Palaniswami at his residence to condole the passing away the latter’s mother. Hence, while no one expected any political turbulence during the flight, there was curiosity over at least exchanging pleasantries.

But Covid protocol in place put to rest all expectations. “Thalaivar (Stalin) completed all formalities and got himself seated, much before the CM, who arrived just in time for the flight. Both were seated afar. With everyone forced to wear masks and face shield, one could hardly recognize anyone on the flight to even share a smile, let alone exchanging pleasantries,” said a source in the DMK who was also on the flight.

On landing in Madurai, CM got off the aircraft first and Stalin a little later. “But we were the first to leave the airport and were taken out through a separate gate,” the DMK source said.

Palaniswami and Stalin will be visiting Pasumpon in Ramanathapuram district to garland Muthuramalinga Thevar statue on his Jayanthi on Friday.

Hundreds of AIADMK and DMK cadres were waiting outside the Madurai airport and physical distancing norms were thrown to the wind. TNN