Sonia falls ill, aborts road show in Varanasi

Varanasi, Aug 2: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday suddenly took ill during a road show in the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

As she became sick at Lahurabeer, she was taken to a lodge where doctors attended on her and advised her rest. She is expected to fly back to New Delhi.

Ghanshyam Srivastava, a doctor who attended on her, said she was feeling dehydrated and running high blood pressure (88-172) as well as fever. She was administered electoral and told to rest.

"It is because of the crowds thronging her, humidity and exertion," said a Congress source.

Gandhi called off the remaining leg of her road show and was set to fly back to Delhi, the source said.

She also could not visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

Earlier, Gandhi paid floral tributes at a statue of Bhim Rao Ambedkar. As she went around the city, a large posse of motorcycle riders accompanied her.

The entire city has been plastered with Congress flags and banners. Senior state and central leaders were with Gandhi from the time she began the campaign.

She waved back to the supporters and, at times, greeted them with folded hands from inside her bulletproof vehicle. Security personnel had a tough time keeping the crowds at bay.

The newly-appointed UP Congress chief Raj Babbar told reporters upon Gandhi's arrival that the people of the state would back the party in the assembly polls in 2017.

"The people of UP have always shown miracles. In 2004 they gave us many MPs, in 2007 they gave a mandate to the BSP, in 2012 to the SP and in 2014 to (Narendra) Modi.

"I am sure that in 2017 the miracle is going to be in our favour" he said, adding that Sonia Gandhi had come to Varanasi to seek the blessings of Baba Vishwanath of Kashi.

IANS