Sonia Gandhi's surgery 'successful', in intensive care: Congress

@timesofindiaTimes of India

Sonia Gandhi's surgery 'successful', in intensive care: Congress

NEW DELHI: Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi was recovering in intensive care after undergoing "successful" surgery in the United States, a party spokesman said on Friday.

"The surgery is over," Congress Party spokesman Janardhan Dwivedi said, adding that the "surgeon had indicated that the operation was successful."

Gandhi, 64, was recovering in an intensive care unit.

Sonia will be away for 2-3 weeks, and the responsibility of overseeing the affairs of the Congress party in her absence has been assigned to a four-member group that includes Rahul Gandhi. The move is being read in political circles as formal recognition of the growing stature of the Amethi MP who has so far consciously kept a low profile.

Sources said Sonia was advised by her doctors to go abroad for the surgery because they felt she would convalesce better without the throng of visitors who would have clamoured to see her during the recovery. The inconvenience her presence in a hospital would have caused to other patients was another consideration.

Congress leaders refused to divulge details of party president's ailment.

Before leaving for the surgery, Sonia tasked Rahul and three others with the responsibility of looking after the day-to-day affairs of the party. Other members of the group are defence minister A K Antony, Congress general secretary Dwivedi and Sonia's political secretary Ahmed Patel. Patel and Antony are among Sonia's most trusted confidants, while Dwivedi is the general secretary in charge of the organization.