PM [1]
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aircraft suffered a technical snag at Deoghar in Jharkhand this afternoon and he left for Delhi on another Indian Air Force Plane, sent from New Delhi, more than two hours later.
Sources said PM Modi was in the plane, which was about to take off, when the fault was detected and it was decided to stop the aircraft at Deoghar. Attempts were also being made to rectify the fault in the aircraft before the IAF plane arrived.
The Prime Minister flew from Deoghar to Jamui in Bihar in a helicopter to attend an event on the occasion of tribal icon Birsa Munda's birth anniversary, which is celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas. He flew back to Deoghar in the chopper and was supposed to return to Delhi when the snag was discovered.
Barely 80 km away from Deoghar, in Jharkhand's Godda, Rahul Gandhi's helicopter remained grounded for 45 minutes awaiting clearance from the air traffic control, prompting the Congress to claim that the delay was deliberate to disrupt the campaign schedule of the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
The Congress had pointed to the PM's rally near Deoghar, suggesting that his event was being prioritised over Mr Gandhi's movements. The chopper was allowed to take off 45 minutes later.
The party also later filed a complaint with the Election Commission.
At the rally in Godda district, Rahul Gandhi pushed for a nationwide caste census, claiming it would change the face of India.
"Caste census is bound to happen... We will demolish the 50 per cent reservation ceiling, PM Modi can do whatever he can," he said.
Polling in the second phase for the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly will take place on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.
(With inputs from PTI)