By Sarwar Kashani 

Aligarh, July 9 (IANS) Heavy rains lashed this Uttar Pradesh city Saturday ahead of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's farmers' rally even as organisers tried to boost the morale of the crowd by calling it a "good omen".

Amid hot and humid weather and overcast conditions, rains started in Aligarh at around 10.45 a.m. before the Congress leader could arrive at the venue, Nivas Ground.

As the rains started pouring, Congress supporters waiting for the Gandhi scion started panicking and running for shelter even though the Nivas Ground was covered with a waterproof marquee.

The organisers tried to enthuse crowds by shouting slogans like "aandhi aaye ya toofan, sabha karenge seena taan (come rain or storm, we will hold the rally)". This indeed helped in bringing the people back to their seats, but heavy rains continued.

The organisers said it was a good omen - for Rahul Gandhi as well as farmers - to have rains ahead of the rally! Some people even stood in the rain and danced.

The rain water was leaking at many points, forcing many from the crowd seated on chairs to run helter-skelter.

It was not known if the Gandhi scion, who was supposed fly here in a helicopter, had arrived by 11 a.m.