Loudest cheers for Sheila, Kalmadi booed again at CWG closing ceremony

NEW DELHI - Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit got the loudest cheers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium during the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony.

A loud roar went up in the 65,000-strong packed stadium when Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the Organising Committee referred to her in his speeches.

The mention of construction workers who put in their all efforts to get the Games venue ready in time also received laud appreciation from the crowd during the closing ceremony.

The crowd showed its evident displeasure when Kalmadi thanked his colleagues in the organising committee, which has been blamed for the many delays in the preparations to the Games that gave India a bad name.

The loudest boos were reserved for Lalit Bhanot, secretary general of the organising committee.

As Kalmadi mentioned Bhanot’s name to acknowledge the efforts of those who helped in making the Games a success, there was loud booing from the thousands packing the stadium.

Kalmadi also faced the wrath of the audience on his arrival at the stadium.

The only time the crowd clapped Kalmadi was when he thanked Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Sheila Dikshit for helping to organise the Games in New Delhi.

Dr Singh was also greeted with shouts of joy when he entered the stadium along with his wife Gursharan Kaur. (ANI)