Guwahati: As electioneering gathers pace, the skies above Guwahati are growing louder and busier, with helicopters crisscrossing the city as star campaigners rush from one constituency to another in a bid to stretch their reach before polling.At the centre of this airborne campaign push is the field of Khanapara Veterinary College, which has, for now, shed its usual identity and taken on a new role as a temporary helipad. In the middle of a heated political contest, it has become one of the most important logistical points in the state’s election machinery.What makes the scene especially striking is not just the volume of helicopter traffic, but who is using the same patch of ground. BJP, Congress, AGP, BPF, UPPL and AIUDF have all hired helicopters for the campaign. The overlap is hard to miss — BJP is allied with AGP and BPF, yet rivals and allies alike are relying on the same helipad for their aerial operations.On the ground, the campaign may be sharply divided. In the air, necessity has created an unusual kind of convergence.From this site, parties are dispatching helicopters across Assam’s 126 assembly constituencies, with multiple sorties scheduled each day. Ground staff say the pace is relentless, though flight timings often shift depending on weather and air traffic clearance.“Helicopters like the Bell 407, a Canadian-manufactured aircraft powered by a Rolls-Royce 250-C47B engine, are primarily used for charter services, airlifts, and specialized missions. Another example is the AgustaWestland AW109S Grand, developed by an Anglo-Italian company, which is lightweight and powered by Pratt & Whitney engines. It is a lightweight, twin-engine, multi-purpose aircraft. These helicopters are currently in use,” said a ground staff member responsible for the flight, speaking on condition of anonymity.According to staffers at the site, each party is operating between three and five sorties a day from Khanapara.Among the parties, BJP currently has the largest aerial fleet, with as many as five helicopters in use. One of them has been fixed for chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Congress follows with two helicopters.
