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India officials choose to fly commercial instead of private to cut down expenses

Sonia Gandhi, president of India’s ruling Congress party, expressed her support for the government’s austerity drive by foregoing her private jet flight and traveling via commercial airlines to a party rally in Mumbai.

Gandhi has been taking the lead on symbolic gestures of solidarity for majority of India’s population, who are coping with the worst drought in 20 years. Combine that with an under-performing economy, and you have a big problem.

The congress leader has also intervened to ban ministers from stating in high-class hotels in capital to scale down security measures.

Following Gandhi’s lead is India’s external affairs minister, SM Krishna. He announced that he will forego his private jet privilege to cut down expenses.  

“I will not henceforth use private planes for visits outside the country and will not travel business class,” said Krishna.

The minister usually flies via Embraer private jet whenever he travels for his foreign duties.