Sonia Gandhi leaves Varanasi roadshow due to fever, returns to Delhi, PM prays for her, speaks to Sheila

Varanasi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi today had to leave the party’s impressive roadshow in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency towards the fag end of the eight-km march route this evening after she complained of uneasiness.

According to Congress sources, Gandhi, 69 , who led the roadshow to launch the party’s campaign for 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh from Modi’s turf, was returning to Delhi and cancelled her planned visit to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in the evening to offer prayers.

The sources said 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 roadshow, which continued for about three hours, was halted for sometime at the Lohurabir roundabout near the fag end of the eight-km march route from the Circuit House to Englishiya Line. The roadshow later proceeded without Gandhi.

The sources said Gandhi complained of uneasiness and after taking rest for sometime, she left the area.

Thousands of Congress supporters and workers took part in the roadshow.

It was Gandhi’s first visit to Varanasi after Modi became Prime Minister in May 2014.

After Sonia Gandhi took ill during roadshow in Varanasi, Prime Minister Modi prayed for her quick recovery and good health.

“Heard about Sonia ji s ill health during her Varanasi visit today. I pray for her quick recovery and good health,” he tweeted.

Local Congress MLA Ajai Rai said Gandhi was put on a saline drip at the airport.

The hospital at Banaras Hindu University(BHU) has also been alerted, he said.

Congress sources said tonight that Gandhi was feeling better and will return to Delhi by the special plane which had brought her to Varanasi.

Later, he also spoke to Congress’ chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit, who was accompanying Sonia Gandhi and inquired about her health.

Modi also offered to send a doctor and an aircraft to bring the Congress president back to Delhi, sources said. PTI

PM prays for Sonia’s quick recovery, speaks to Sheila Dikshit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today prayed for Sonia Gandhi’s quick recovery and good health after she took ill towards the fag end of a march in Varanasi and spoke to Congress’ chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit to inquire about her party chief’s condition.

“Heard about Sonia ji’s ill health during her Varanasi visit today. I pray for her quick recovery and good health,” he tweeted.

Later, Modi also spoke to Dikshit, who was accompanying Sonia and inquired about her health.

Modi also offered to send a doctor and an aircraft to bring the Congress president back to Delhi, sources said.

69-year-old Gandhi had to cut short the roadshow towards the fag end of the eight-km march route this evening after she fell ill as it wound through the streets of the temple town for nearly three hours.

Congress sources said 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.