Kochi | The Congress alleged on Friday that the Ministry of Defence denied landing permission for an aircraft carrying party leader Rahul Gandhi at the Naval airport here.

Ernakulam DCC president Mohammed Shiyas alleged the Ministry had initially granted permission for the aircraft's landing at the Naval facility but later withdrew it.

Consequently, the aircraft, carrying Gandhi from Kannur, was directed to the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) in nearby Nedumbassery, he told PTI.

An official source told PTI that the decision regarding granting permission for the landing of private jets at the Naval Station was made by the Defence Ministry. He, however, did not elaborate.

The former Congress chief, currently touring Kerala, has two programmes scheduled in Kochi on Friday.