Destroyed pandals after heavy rain at Congress workers convention in Kolkata which was to be addressed by Rahul Gandhi
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had to leave a rally venue without addressing party workers in Kolkata after rain and storm washed away the tents at the venue.
The storm - locally called 'norwester' - uprooted the sound system, overturned tables and chairs and tore apart the cloth used to set up a canopy at the Shaheed Minar ground.
Mr Gandhi, who held a meeting in north Bengal earlier in the day, was to address a workers meet at the ground at 5:00 pm, with a closed enclosure created.
"He arrived but a short circuit had developed in the sound system. The SPG was concerned about it so he couldn't make an address," state Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya said.
"We had initially demanded the Netaji Indoor stadium. If we had got it then such a situation would not have occurred," he said.
When Mr Gandhi's chopper landed near the rally venue, a few hundred party workers - who had stayed back despite bad weather - hoped that the party vice president would address them.
Mr Gandhi drove to the venue along with party general secretary Shakil Ahmed Khan, state party chief Adhir Chowdhury and other leaders. He climbed on to the dais and waved at the workers, who reciprocated with applause.
He later came down to the ground, met the crowd and shook hands before again going up the dais. He left after spending a few minutes at the dais.
The Congress workers alleged that had the venue of Netaji Indoor stadium - which they asked for - been allowed, the Congress vice-president could have held the meet.