Sharad Pawar follows 'austerity' path; travels economy class

Union Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar today flew to Delhi by economy class in keeping with the UPA government's austerity drive.

Pawar, who met functionaries of his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) at the party office in south Mumbai, left for Delhi by private carrier Kingfisher, an aide of the minister said.

"Pawar will henceforth travel economy," the aide said.

At the meeting, Pawar discussed poll strategy of NCP which is waiting for a nod from Congress over seat sharing for the October 13 Assembly elections.

The NCP chief's decision to fly economy comes in the backdrop of the government's directive to its ministers to travel by economy class, forego foreign jaunts and stay away from five-star hotels.

It was reported that at a recent Union cabinet meeting, pointing to his physique, Pawar said that a person like him could not even snuggle himself into an economy class seat in the aircraft.