Bholanath and Devendra Pandey

Bholanath and Devendra Pandey are two friends who in 1978 hijacked an Indian Airlines plane on a domestic flight. They demanded the release of opposition leader Indira Gandhi (who had been arrested by Indian parliament) and the withdrawal of all the cases against her son Sanjay Gandhi.^[1] They carried only toy weapons. After keeping 132 passengers hostage for some hours, they surrendered in the presence of media.

The Indian National Congress party rewarded them with party tickets for 1980 state assembly election.^[1] Both won the election and became members of the legislative assembly of Uttar Pradesh. Bhola served as a Congress MLA from 1980 to 1985 while Devendra remained a member of the house for two terms.

Devendra served the party as a general secretary of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) until recently. He is now nurturing the Sultanpur constituency in the hope of a Congress ticket in the next elections.

Bholanath unsuccessfully contested the 1999 Lok Sabha elections from Salempur as a Congress candidate.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Kishin R. Wadhwaney (2005). Indian Airports (Shocking Ground Realities). Diamond Pocket Books. p. 124. ISBN 9788128808722. http://books.google.com/books?id=dY3uofmVqR8C&pg=RA1-PA124&lpg=RA1-PA124&dq=bholanath+and+devendra+pandey&source=web&ots=3N0XDgh5ZM&sig=CplU3z6Q3tqfSxXn2LXsU6i-O2Y#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 2011-07-28.