Karnataka CM visits Rajnath Singh; discusses 13th edition of

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa met Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to hold discussion on hosting the 13th edition of Aero India in 2021 in the city, and has sought approval and pre-assigned dates for the event.

The Chief Minister called on Singh in New Delhi on Friday evening.

"It was a pleasure meeting @rajnathsingh ji to discuss the conducting of Aero India 2021 in Bengaluru. We look forward to hosting this premier biennial air-cum defence exhibition and have sought the approval and pre-assigned dates for the same," Yediyurappa tweeted on Saturday.

In a letter submitted to the Defence Minister, Yediyurappa said that Bengaluru has become synonymous with Asia's premier airshow "Aero India," and this biennial air-cum defence exhibition attracts giants of the industry as well as general public.

Since its inception in 1996, Bengaluru has been hosting the event at IAF's Yelahanka Air force Station.

Ahead of 2019 air show, there were speculations that the venue for the mega event may be shifted after the defence ministry indicated that it was examining requests from a number of states including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh to host the 12th edition of Aero India.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had then made a request to to the then Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to select Lucknow as the venue for Aero India, triggering angry reactions from various political parties in Karnataka.

The then Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and met the Defence Minister, insisting that Bengaluru would be the "best choice" for the event.

During his meeting with Singh, Yediyurappa also sought his intervention into expedition of transfer of defence land required for Bangalore Metro Project.

"Request was also made to facilitate the transfer of the defence land at Vellar Junction for the Bengaluru Metro Project," the chief minister said in another tweet.