Solapur (Maharashtra), Aug 2 (IANS) Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari complained of uneasiness at a public function and had to sit down midway while the national anthem was played here on Thursday.

An official said Gadkari's spell of uneasiness was probably due to some heavy antibiotics he had reportedly taken for a throat infection.

The incident happened at a function on the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Solapur University campus this afternoon where Gadkari was the guest of honour.

At the end of the function, Gadkari, 62, rose for the national anthem but suddenly felt dizzy, slouched to one side and then virtually collapsed on his seat as his security guards rushed to help.

Shortly afterwards, a doctor checked him and his vital parameters were found to be normal.

Later, an apparently refreshed Gadkari departed for Nagpur where he met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the airport, who enquired after his health.

Earlier, last December, Gadkari had collapsed during the national anthem at the convocation of the Mahatma Phule Agriculture University in Ahmednagar.

Later, during a Lok Sabha poll rally in Shirdi in April, he had to stop his speech midway as he felt uneasy.