LK Advani gets another 'rath' from Karnataka

BJP leader LK Advani has got a new rath for himself from Karnataka after the first one developed a technical problem soon after the start of the yatra.

His party colleagues Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley were taken ill yesterday while travelling in the modified bus due to the problem in the generator. They had to be given medical aid after they complained of nausea and alighted from the vehicle midway on the Mahatma Gandhi setu here while coming from Chapra.

Convenor of the yatra Ananth Kumar told reporters at Patna today that the generator in the vehicle leaked carbon monoxide into the rear of the rath even as the exhaust duct did not function properly.

The problem was attended to in Patna and things have been set right for onward journey, he 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 tomorrow.