NEWS

Advani's rath falters; back-up bus summoned

By Priyanka
October 12, 2011

A technical fault with the BJP veteran's rath on Tuesday has forced the Jan Chetna yatra organisers to organise for a back-up bus.

Advani's rath, a bus specifically modified by ace automobile designer Dilip Chhabaria, was flagged off by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar from Chhapra on Tuesday.

But only 80 km into the journey, the bus developed a technical fault at Hazipur.

According to BJP leader and yatra coordinator Ananth Kumar, the air conditioning vent outside the bus developed a fault.

"Both Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitleyji were sitting next to the duct, which was not working and began feeling nauseous. They had to retire to their hotel rooms in Patna after Hazipur and could not attend Advaniji's sabha at Gandhi Maidan in Patna later in the day," Ananth Kumar said.

Advani, meanwhile, has got another rath from Karnataka but is sticking to the first one which has been repaired.

The BJP leader again had some anxious moments when the "rath" got stuck under a railway bridge at Koyalbar near

Patna. The rath driver did some deft manoeuvring to steer the 13.9 feet rath under the 13-feet high bridge.

The yatra got stalled for about 10 minutes and Advani was seen complimenting the driver after the rath moved forward.

Earlier in Patna, Advani also paid floral tributes at the statue of Ram Manohar Lohia, whose death anniversary will be observed on Thursday.

With inputs from PTI

Priyanka in Patna

NEXT ARTICLE

NewsBusinessMoviesSportsCricketGet AheadDiscussionLabsMyPageVideosCompany Email