Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Thursday, underwent surgery in a US hospital for an undisclosed medical condition, nominating her son Rahul Gandhi and three senior party leaders to run the party during the two or three weeks she will be away.
Confirming the news, Congress spokesperson Janardan Dwivedi said, “Sonia Gandhi has been unwell for quite some time and the doctors attending her had advised her to undergo a surgery, for which she had flown to the United States recently.”
Briefing the press reporters on her health, Dwivedi said, “The abdominal surgery performed on her has been successful and she had been advised to take full rest.”
The Congress spokesperson further informed that in Sonia Gandhi’s absence a group of four people will look after the affairs of the party and works related to the National Advisory Council.
Sonia Gandhi, in a written statement read out by Congress chief spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi, said during her absence, a four-member panel including Rahul Gandhi, Defence Minister AK Antony, her long-time political secretary, Ahmed Patel, and party general secretary Dwivedi will be running the party.
Congress sources said she had an abdomen-related ailment amid speculation that Sonia Gandhi was suffering from cancer. Dwivedi, however, said that it was not cancer, but an ailment that required surgery.
Sonia Gandhi's mother and sister, Rahul Gandhi and daughter Priyanka Vadra are also understood to have accompanied Gandhi.
First Published: Thursday, August 04, 2011, 13:36