Kokrajhar (Assam): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on Tuesday forced to change his travel plans as the Air Force (IAF) did not oblige his request for flying him from here to Guwahati citing bad weather.
He was on a day's trip to the state to meet victims of ethnic violence in relief camps and held discussions with Bodoland Territorial Council leaders on the prevailing situation in Assam.
While travelling back to Guwahati with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, he was denied permission by the IAF officials to take off due to the bad weather, sources said here.
An IAF spokesperson in New Delhi confirmed that Gandhi had wanted to fly to Guwahati urgently for a meeting there but due to bad weather prevailing en route and at the destination, the permission was not given.
During the visit, Gandhi met relief camp inmates and also held discussions with Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) leaders and representatives of other civil organisations in the district regarding the prevailing situation along with relief and rehabilitation being provided to affected people.
He was accompanied by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhubaneswar Kalita.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, September 11, 2012, 21:15