BJP against government bailing out ailing Kingfisher airline

New Delhi, Nov 11: Asking the Government not to bail out ailing airline Kingfisher, BJP said it cannot support such a step as the "communist era practice" of running sick private sector units at huge loss to the exchequer has been done away with.

"There is no case for a government bail out of Kingfisher Airline.... We cannot support such a step. The practice during communist era when the government used to take up sick private sector units and run them at huge cost and loss to the government has been given up," BJP leader Yashwant Sinha told reporters.

Kingfisher has reportedly asked the government for a bail out as it is facing financial problems. One in three flights of the airline were cancelled yesterday. Several of its employees have kept away from work. Sinha said the idea of bailing out a private sector unit is not acceptable today. Post-liberalisation the practice of supporting ailing private sector units- especially the heavy industries- was given up.

The BJP leader said it was upto Kingfisher to decide the next course of action, whether it is a sell-off, merger with another airline or finding a business partner.

PTI