MUMBAI, November 14: There was a scramble in Mumbai for replacements to stand in for Prime Minister I K Gujral when he cancelled his visit after the demise of Minister of State for Defence NVN Somu in a helicopter crash today morning.Even as thousands of city policemen required to guard and cordon the PM's route heaved a sigh of relief at the cancellation, brainstorming sessions were being conducted in the city today to come up with a replacement for their chief guest. Gujral's hectic Saturday schedule included the commissioning of the Indian Navy's missile destroyer INS Delhi, the Jamnalal Bajaj awards and a speech at the Indian Merchant Chamber's 90th year celebration function.The Jamnalal Bajaj awards will now be given away by Chief Minister Manohar Joshi, according to a Mantralaya spokesman. The Indian Merchants Chamber, which was to host its 90th year celebration at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre on Saturday, was not as lucky. It has decided to postpone its function instead.The Indian Navy's 6700-tonne destroyer INS Delhi will now be commissioned by the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat. The ship has already borne the brunt of the Prime Minister's frequent foreign jaunts - having two commissioning dates in September and October postponed due to Gujral's visits first to the United States and then to African nations.
