Siliguri: Thunderstorms in large parts of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts of West Bengal on Thursday poured water on the campaign plans of several political heavyweights.
While senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders L K Advani and Nitin Gadkari were stranded in Siliguri, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's canvassing schedule for the upcoming assembly polls too was disrupted.
The two north Bengal districts have been lashed by rain and thunderstorm since Wednesday, blowing away roofs of houses and leaving roads waterlogged. Gandhi, who came to Naxalbari in Darjeeling district on Thursday morning, had to cut short his second meeting at Malbazar in Jalpaiguri as the storm gained momentum.
"The Malbazar meeting had to be ended abruptly. Gandhi was scheduled to fly to Mothabari (in Malda district) for his third meeting. However, due to the bad weather, he drove to Bagdogra airport in Darjeeling, from where he took a special flight to Purnia in Bihar," Deputy Inspector General of Police (Jalpaiguri Range) D T Lepcha told IANS.
"He has reached Purnia. If the weather improves, he will fly by a chopper to Malda or will travel by road. If neither of the two options is possible, then the Malda meeting will be cancelled," he added.
However, Inspector General of Police (North Bengal) Ranveer Kumar said, "As per the latest information we have, the meeting is very much on."
Advani was scheduled to fly to Falakata and Madarihat areas of Jalpaiguri.
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