Poll campaign hit by bad weather

Unexpected showers in the state are altering campaigning schedules for Assembly elections in the state. While many politicians were forced to avoid using helicopters, others postponed scheduled rallies and a few were forced to roll back their campaign plans, reports Rajendra Aklekar.

Unexpected showers in the state are altering campaigning schedules for Assembly elections in the state.

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While many politicians were forced to avoid using helicopters, others postponed scheduled rallies and a few were forced to roll back their campaign plans.

Bad weather forced senior BJP leader Vinod Tawde’s chopper to return to Mumbai.

Sources said Tawde was on his way to Pune to meet social activist Anna Hazare, who is on an indefinite fast to protest against Congress leader Padmasinh Patil.

Tawde’s chopper was caught in bad weather near Lonavla and was about to spin out of control. But the pilot diverted the chopper back to Mumbai.

Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Gopinath Munde also met with a similar fate. He was on a tour to Ballarpur in Chandrapur district, but his helicopter was forced to land at Morva airstrip. He later cancelled his rallies and went back to Nagpur.

Former minister Vinay Kore’s chopper was forced to change course to Andhra Pradesh to avoid bad weather. Kore was on his way to Kinwat in Hingoli district. His chopper returned to Kinwat after an hour.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s election campaign schedule has also been postponed by a day due to heavy rain in various parts of the state. “The rain has forced us to postpone Soniaji’s rally by a day. The schedule will remain the same, but a day ahead from the earlier planned schedule,” Congress media coordinator Sanjay Dutt told Hindustan Times.

Gandhi will now be addressing election rallies in Nashik and Nanded on Tuesday and at Buldhana, Jaamner and Mumbai on Wednesday.

Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray also rescheduled his rallies following heavy rain in Konkan and western Maharashtra. BJP leader Nitin Gadkari also had to cancel his rallies at Wai in Satara district on Sunday.