Unwell Sonia Gandhi Aborts Varanasi Roadshow, Promises to Return Soon

Varanasi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said she was saddened as she had to cut short her big roadshow in Varanasi after she took ill owing to high fever.

Sonia, however promised to come back soon to visit the Kashi Viswanath temple and also address the people of Varanasi.

Saddened that due to my ill health, I had to cut my visit to Varanasi short. I couldn't visit the Kashi Viswanath temple either. I will come back very soon," the Congress president said.

Sonia had developed high fever midway through her roadshow and was advised by doctors not to go ahead with the final leg which included an address to the public and a visit to the Kasi Viswanath temple.

Thereafter, Sonia immediately returned to Babatpur airport to take a return flight to Delhi but was admitted to the VIP lounge inside the airport premises and administered intravenous fluids.

Before she called off her road trip the Congress president stood in an SUV greeting party supporters who gathered on the streets as her cavalcade drove through.

The final decision was conveyed around 7 pm after she drove to the airport to take a special flight to Delhi

After news of her ill health was confirmed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted expressing concern and wishing her a speedy recovery.

Earlier, thousands of Congress supporters and workers took part in the roadshow from the Circuit House to Englishiya Line, a distance of about eight kilometres.

Gandhi, who was initially travelling in a car and later moved to a vehicle with open sunroof, waved at the crowd which cheered and raised slogans against the Modi government.

She came out of her vehicle several times to accept the greetings of the cheering supporters, including groups of Muslim women.

As the road show passed through several localities, rose petals were showered on Sonia and her cavalcade from adjoining buildings.