Visitors keep calling Lalu Prasad in hospital

By Krishna Thevar

MUMBAI: As he was waiting in his room in the Asian Heart Institute in Mumbai on Monday for his test results, RJD chief Lalu Prasad had one eye on the TV screen, eagerly scanning news as the Bihar by-poll results started flashing.

“He was very happy that his strategic alliance with Nitish and Congress could stop BJP. His illness could not hide his happiness over his stand being vindicated,” said an RJD source.

Elated, the RJD leader chose to ignore the doctor’s orders and spent the day attending phone calls and talking to politicians from across the divide besides meeting visitors. The biggest of them – his newfound ally, Nitish Kumar – will come calling on Sunday.

Lalu Prasad was taken off the ventilator support on Thursday morning. Doctors at the Asian Heart Hospital said that his vital parameters were within normal range. He would be allowed to move about within his ward on Friday morning.

Kumar spoke to Prasad twice, once on Monday and the next day on Tuesday. They did discuss the results for a long while said sources. The current CM, Jitan Ram Manjhi, called up on Tuesday.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi too spoke to Prasad on Tuesday wishing him a speedy recovery, which was her second call in the last few days; she had spoken to Rabri Devi on August 25, inquiring about her husband’s health.

Nationalist Congress Party Chief Sharad Pawar too dropped by along with PWD minister Chaggan Bhujbal and NCP state spokesperson Nawab Malik.

Later in the day, Praful Patel also dropped in and on Tuesday Pawar’s daughter and NCP MP Supriya Sule also came visiting. Former Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam also visited Prasad on Monday.

The RJD leader kept telling the doctors and those who called on him that he had been suffering the heart ailment for more than a year and while doctors at AIIMS had recommended a surgery he had kept on delaying it.

Among those to congratulate Prasad and wish him a speedy recovery was BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha who came on Tuesday. Others to inquire about the RJD leaders health were SEBI chief UK Sinha. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Vice-President Hamid Ansari called up on Wednesday.