New Delhi: Hundreds of agitated Congress workers today (May 19, 2004) smashed the main gate of the media hall at AICC headquarters where party General Secretary Ambika Soni was briefing the press on political developments.

The party workers first tried to enter the media room where Soni and S Jaipal Reddy were addressing a crowded press conference and failing to do so they pelted stones and smashed windowpanes disrupting the meeting and injured a journalist. Soni and Reddy stopped the briefing midway and left the hall through a side door.

Shouting 'Sonia Gandhi Zindabad' and 'Desh ki neta kaisi ho, Sonia Gandhi jaisi ho', they protested her decision not to become the Prime Minister and demanded that she withdraw her decision forthwith.

Earlier in the morning Congress workers attacked the crew of a private TV channel when a journalist was reporting that Manmohan Singh could be the next Prime Minister.

"Either it is Sonia or nobody", the Congressmen shouted. Police forces rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control even as tempers continued to run high.

Soni addressed party workers outside 10, Janpath in a bid to pacify them.

The injured journalist was seen bleeding profusely after being hit by the broken windowpanes