Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday cancelled his scheduled visits to Almora and Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand after adverse weather conditions disrupted helicopter operations, forcing him to return from Pantnagar airport. According to officials and party sources, Gandhi had arrived in Pantnagar in the morning as part of a planned outreach programme ahead of the 2026 state elections.

However, shortly after arrival, worsening weather conditions made helicopter take-off unsafe, leading the pilot to abort the flight plan. As a result, his engagements across multiple districts had to be called off. Gandhi was scheduled to address a public meeting in Almora, interact with citizens on the state’s socio-economic issues, and later meet ex-servicemen in Pauri Garhwal. His itinerary also included a visit to Kotdwar, where he was expected to meet Deepak Kumar, the owner of a local gym.

The planned meeting reportedly drew attention due to an internal reference that included the name “Mohammad Deepak,” which circulated in programme notes but was not part of the public interaction. Following the cancellation, Gandhi shared a video message and written statement on social media platform X, expressing regret over not being able to proceed with the visit.

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He said he had intended to engage directly with people across Uttarakhand to discuss development challenges, economic concerns, and broader policy issues affecting the state. In his message, Gandhi emphasised that safety considerations took precedence over political engagements, noting that the pilot’s decision to halt the flight due to weather conditions was unavoidable. He added that while circumstances had prevented the visit, his intention to connect with people in the state remained unchanged.

The Congress leader also addressed the scheduled public interactions virtually, including the Almora rally and the meeting with ex-servicemen, and reiterated his commitment to reschedule the visit at a later date. He said he looked forward to returning soon for a more comprehensive tour of Uttarakhand. Party sources said the disrupted schedule was part of a broader outreach effort aimed at strengthening engagement in hill districts ahead of the upcoming state elections, with multiple public meetings planned across the region.

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