Date:08/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/08/stories/2008030857500400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Rahul makes transit halt at Visakhapatnam

Staff Reporter

Technical snag delays take-off of the helicopter meant to carry SPG commandos by 30 minutes

VISAKHAPATNAM: Confusion prevailed at the Visakhapatnam airport on Friday morning when the helicopter meant to the carry the SPG commandos of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi developed a technical snag and refused to take off.

Mr. Rahul Gandhi arrived at the airport by an Air India flight at 8 a.m. on his way to Orissa. He held discussions with party leaders at the airport for about 15 minutes. Two choppers were kept ready at the airport for the onward journey.

While the one carrying Mr. Rahul Gandhi took off, the other carrying the SPG commandos did not. The first chopper made a few rounds in the air before returning to the ground.

— Photo on the left: C.V. SUBRAHMANYAM

TENSE MOMENTS: Technicians rectifying the snag to the copter carrying the SPG commandoes. (Right) Congress MP Rahul Gandhi with Union Minister of State for Mines T. Subbarami Reddy during his transit halt on way to Orissa, at the Visakhapatnam airport on Friday.

The technical staff inspected the SPG helicopter and rectified the problem after about 30 minutes after which both the choppers were airborne.

Host of leaders

Earlier, Mr. Rahul Gandhi made a transit halt on his way to Orissa. He was received by a host of senior Congress leaders who included Union Minister of State for Mines T. Subbarami Reddy, Political Adviser to the State Government K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, Mayor Pulusu Janardhana Rao, MLAs -- Dronamraju Srinivas, T. Gurumurthy Reddy and Kannababu -- AICC secretary P. Sudhakar Reddy, senior Congress leader Y. Maria Das, Zilla Parishad Chairman Gorle Rammurthy Naidu, former VUDA Chairman P.S.N. Raju and Police Commissioner N. Sambasiva Rao.

Mr. Rahul Gandhi had asked the Congress leaders to accord top priority to women and youth, a party leader said.