Sonia Gandhi visits Lalu Prasad in Delhi, Tejashwi says oppn unity key to taking on BJP
Patna, Nov 2 (IANS) Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday visited RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav at the residence of his daughter Misa Bharti in New Delhi and enquired about his health as he continues to receive treatment at AIIMS.
According to family members, Lalu Prasad, who has been dealing with health issues for the past few years, was recently shifted to Delhi for specialised medical consultation after undergoing treatment and observation at IGIMS in Patna. His condition is currently stated to be stable.
Sharing photographs of his meeting with Sonia Gandhi on X, Lalu Prasad wrote that her visit brought back memories of their political association during the UPA government.
He recalled the welfare initiatives undertaken during the UPA regime for youth, farmers, soldiers and the common people, highlighting landmark legislations such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Right to Education (RTE) Act and the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
He also recalled that the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s government had allocated more than Rs 1.45 lakh crore for Bihar’s development.
Reacting to Sonia Gandhi’s meeting with Lalu Prasad, Bihar Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav said the visit was primarily intended to enquire about his father’s health.
“Lalu Prasad had come to Delhi for his routine medical check-up. I also met Sonia Gandhi and informed her about this. She herself expressed a desire to meet Lalu Prasad, which is why she visited him today. Lalu Prasad and Sonia Gandhi have shared a good relationship from the very beginning. They have stood by and supported each other during difficult circumstances. Our family and the Gandhi family have also shared a longstanding relationship. The purpose of today’s meeting was to enquire about Lalu Prasad’s health. They had not met for a long time, which is why they met today,” Tejashwi said.
Meanwhile, commenting on the INDIA bloc’s rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, Tejashwi stressed the need for Opposition unity to take on the challenges facing the country.
He said opposition parties across the country would have to stand together and fight collectively, adding that the battle could not be won without unity.
“We will not win this battle unless we stand united. We did gather yesterday, but that was not the final event. We are not the kind of people who will sit quietly until action is taken against Gyanesh Kumar,” he said.
Targeting the BJP over its remarks describing the Ramlila Maidan rally as a failure, Tejashwi questioned why the ruling party was reacting so strongly.
“Why are they so nervous? If the rally had been a flop, why would there be any need to prove it was a flop? They know that there is unease and turmoil. They are troubled and disappointed because their theft has been exposed,” he said.
–IANS
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