Eknath Shinde waits at airport as pilot refuses to fly beyond duty hours

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was made to wait over an hour at Jalgaon Airport after arriving well past his scheduled time. He reached the airport at 9:15 pm, but the pilot refused to take off, citing the delay, according to sources.

Following a 45-minute-long closed-door discussion with ministers Girish Mahajan, Gulabrao Patil, and district administration officials trying to convince the pilot, the flight eventually took off.

FATEFUL DELAY

However, in a fated turn of events, Shinde’s delayed arrival at Jalgaon airport turned out to be a boon for a woman who urgently needed to reach Mumbai for emergency kidney treatment.

The woman, Sheetal Patil, had missed her scheduled flight and was left stranded at the Jalgaon airport. Upon learning about her condition, Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan -- who was also present with Shinde -- arranged for both her and her husband to travel to Mumbai on Shinde's flight.

Recalling the incident, Mahajan told India Today TV, "Eknath Shinde has not forgotten his days of struggle. He has shown great sensitivity toward the common man."