Coimbatore : Security at Coimbatore airport was stepped up for a while this noon, following reports of a brief halt of AICC president Rahul Gandhi on his way to New Delhi.

TNCC president S Thirunavukkarasu who came to the airport to receive the leader said Rahul was expected to arrive by a chartered flight from Kerala and halt for an hour to take a Delhi flight.

However, due to delay in visiting more flood-affected areas, Rahul left for Delhi from Kerala itself, he said.

On the remarks by Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan that no alliances can pull down BJP, Thirunavukkarasu said there was no chance for BJP in Tamil Nadu and it was still lying down in the State and there was no need to pull it down.

About Tamil Nadu Minister O S Manian’s criticism of newly elected DMK president M K Stalin, he said it was condemnable as Stalin had held various positions in the party from his students days.

Asked about the reported fissures in AIADMK, he said there was a split in that party after the death of Jayalalithaa, particularly differences between minister Jayakumar and Madhusoodanan.

Without any single power centre, AIADMK was riding on two horses, resulting in problems in both the party and the Government, he said, adding that if this continued it would not reach its destination.

On E V K S Elangovan’s remarks that Congress would have a bright future if Thirunavukkarasu joined BJP, he said, “Let him decide his future. it has become a habit for him to talk like this,” Thirunavukkarasu said.