Sonia Hospitalised in Delhi, Cuts Her Varanasi Trip Short
Sonia Gandhi will hold a roadshow in Narendra Modi’s constituency, which he won by over 50k votes in 2014.
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- The road show was halted after Sonia Gandhi complained of uneasiness.
- She returned to Delhi, following her doctor’s advice.
- She was taken to Army Research and Referral Hospital in the capital for a check-up.
- She was holding a roadshow in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency, Varanasi.
- By the end of the roadshow, Gandhi would have covered a six-km stretch starting from the Circuit House area.
- She was scheduled to pay her maiden visit to the Kashi Vishwanath temple after the roadshow.
- She said she was “saddened” about cutting the trip short, but would return to pay a visit to the temple.
- 403-member strong, poll-bound Uttar Pradesh is the largest Assembly in the country.
Sonia Gandhi Lands in Delhi, Hospitalised
After cutting her Varanasi rally short owing to her health, Sonia Gandhi has landed in Delhi. Daughter Priyanka Vadra told media outside the Delhi airport that her mother was very keen to attend the rally, but it took a toll on her health.
According to Dr D S Rana , Chairman (BOM) , Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, “ Mrs Sonia Gandhi has been admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital today at 01:30 pm under the care of Dr Arup Basu and his team from Department of Pulmonology. She is dehydrated but is presently stable and her further investigations are being conducted. She is advised rest .”
Ghulam Nabi Azad, senior Congress party leader in Uttar Pradesh said Gandhi has been hospitalised and is stable. She was taken to Army Research and Referral Hospital in the capital for a medical check-up. On Wednesday, she was shifted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
In Varanasi, after she complained of uneasiness midway through the rally, she was taken to a lodge where doctors attended on her and advised her rest. Ghanshyam Srivastava, a doctor who attended on her, said she was feeling dehydrated and running high blood pressure as well as fever.
According to sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered to help by sending a doctor for her health check-up and a plane for her journey back to Delhi.
He also enquired about her health, keeping in touch with Sheila Dikshit, Congress’ Chief Ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh, who was with Gandhi during the rally.
Taking the battle to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s turf, Congress President Sonia Gandhi launched her party’s campaign, on Tuesday, for the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election with a massive roadshow in Varanasi.
Thousands of Congress supporters and workers took part in the roadshow from the Circuit House to Englishiya Line, a distance of about eight kilometres.
The BJP claimed that Congress was trying to “return the favour” to the Samajwadi Party by working to cut into anti-incumbency votes in the state.
However, Sonia Gandhi had to cut short the roadshow towards the end of the eight-km march route in the evening after she complained of uneasiness.
According to Congress sources, 69-years-old Gandhi was returning to Delhi having cancelled her visit to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
Congress sources confirmed to PTI that Gandhi was suffering from viral fever but had decided to go ahead with the roadshow as she was not inclined to cancel it at the last minute.
The Congress released an official statement from Gandhi, where she thanked the party supporters for their enthusiastic response to the rally.
Sonia Unwell, Rally Terminated Midway
Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s roadshow in Varanasi was cut short as she felt unwell. She will be returning to Delhi after consulting her doctor, reports ANI.
In an official statement, the Congress party said:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Sonia speedy recovery in a tweet.
Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar expressed hope that there would be a “miracle” in favour of his party in the upcoming assembly election in the state.
Sonia Gandhi Begins Roadshow in Varanasi
Congress President Sonia Gandhi begins roadshow in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency. Modi won Varanasi in 2014 by a margin of over 50,000 votes.
Congress’ UP Chief Ministerial candidate Shiela Dikshit and Congress’ UP in-charge Raj Babbar, among other Congress leaders are seen in attendance at the rally.
Sonia Gandhi Pays Tribute to Ambedkar
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How Varanasi Went From Congress to BJP
At the outset, it seems that both BJP and Congress have made Varanasi their own.
Since 1952, Congress has won Varanasi in the Lok Sabha constituency 6 times. And so has BJP.
But, Congress has consistently won till 1984, and is still a strong presence in the state. While, BJP won the city for the first time in 1991. A glance at the holy city’s political fortunes since 1952 show how tables have turned.
Varanasi Prepares for Sonia Gandhi’s Visit
The streets of Varanasi are filled with banners of Congress president Sonia Gandhi along with local leaders in the region in anticipation of roadshow.
Congress party President Sonia Gandhi will hold a rally in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency, Varanasi on Tuesday. She will hold a roadshow on a 6 km stretch.
The roadshow will begin from the Circuit House area and proceed in the following order:
- Chaukaghat
- Peelikothi
- Maidagin
- Kabirchaura
- Kamalapathi Tripathi Smarak
At the end of the roadshow, Sonia Gandhi will address the media at Kamalapathi Tripathi Smarak.
After the media address, Gandhi is scheduled to visit the Kashi Vishwanath Shiva temple. Her first visit to the temple in over a decade has come in the month of Shravan, considered holy by devotees of Lord Shiva.
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Published: 02 Aug 2016,11:23 AM IST