Sound system not in sound health at Congress plenary

The sound system at the Congress plenary session was not sound today.

The failure of the system also gave an opportunity to some members from Bihar to vent their ire and raise slogans against Union minister and party incharge of the state, Mukul Wasnik, on allocation of party tickets during the recently concluded assembly polls there.

The system went off initially when Gujarat Congress chief Shaktisinh Gohil was speaking in support of the political resolution.

As Wasnik came to the front of the dais to inform the electricians of the disruption, slogan-shouting against him began. There were counter-slogans also in his favour.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee were on the dais when all this happened.

The sound system broke down again after some time, prompting Delhi chief minister Shiela Dikshit and other party leaders rushing to the control room to ensure that the system was rectified.

However, it behaved well when top leaders like party president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi spoke.

In the evening, the prime minister and the party chief were among a host of dignitaries who enjoyed a cultural programme organised on the occasion.

The sound system functioned well at that time too.