Lalu's heart surgery ends; PM wishes him speedy recovery, Nitish to visit `bade bhai`

Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Yadav's heart valve replacement surgery ends successfully.

Mumbai: Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Yadav's heart valve replacement surgery ended successfully here on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished speedy recovery to the RJD chief. "Wishing a speedy recovery to Lalu (ji) and praying for his good health," Modi said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, JD-U leader Nitish Kumar will meet the RJD chief here today for first time after their alliance won six of the 10 Assembly seats that went to by-polls in Bihar.

Lalu Prasad's surgery began this morning, a spokesperson for the Asian Heart Institute, located in suburban Bandra Kurla complex, said. The former Bihar chief minister has been diagnosed with 'aortic stenosis'.

Asian Heart Institute head Dr Ramakanta Panda, who had operated on former prime minister Manmohan Singh around five years ago, had yesterday said the decision to perform the surgery followed a series of medical tests and evaluation on the 66-year-old leader, who was admitted to the institute on Monday.

In the meantime, Nitish, who is currently on a visit to Delhi, will go to Mumbai to meet Lalu. "When Lalu is in hospital and recovering after two major heart surgeries, it is best and the right time for chote bhai (younger brother Nitish Kumar) to meet bade bhai (elder brother Lalu)," JD-U leader Sanjay Singh said.

Singh said it will be a courtesy call, but the two would meet for first time after their alliance formed after a gap of 20 years won six seats in by-polls in Bihar.

The Congress was also their ally in the by-polls held on August 21 in 10 Assembly constituencies in Bihar.

RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui, meanwhile, said hundreds of party leaders and party workers are praying for Lalu's health and well being.

(With Agency inputs)