Samastipur/Dhemaji, Aug 07: UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Tuesday faced an angry crowd that complained of tardy relief operations when they arrived in Samastipur after making an aerial survey of flood- hit areas in Bihar and Assam.

When Gandhi and Patil, accompanied by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Union Minister Ramvilas Paswan landed in Samastipur in a special IAF helicopter, hundreds of people gathered to air their grievances before them.

The people were prevented from entering the enclosure where the leaders were interacting with flood victims.

"Zila prashasan murdabad (death to the district administration)" and "Rajya sarkar murdabad (death to the state government)", they shouted.

Reporters and Samastipur`s Chief Medical Officer B Prasad too were not allowed to enter the enclosure. Only cameramen of TV channels and photographers were permitted inside.

Gandhi and Patil made a brief stop-over in Samastipur and flew to the state capital Patna after hearing the problems of the people. Gandhi was briefed about the flood situation in Bihar by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The Congress president earlier arrived at Lilabari airport in Lakhimpur district before leaving for Dhemaji by a special IAF chopper.

About 500 flood-hit people staying in relief camps met Gandhi who stayed here for over half-an-hour.

The Congress chief directed Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to ensure that the district authorities provide adequate relief to the affected people, besides improving the condition of roadways.

Gandhi, who was accompanied by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, AICC general secretary in charge of Assam, Digvijay Singh, later left for Lakhimpur district.