Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday met Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is undergoing treatment for various ailments related to the heart and kidneys at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.
While Yadav has had warm ties with Rahul's mother and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, his relationship with the current Congress president had initially been testy. However, with Rahul seeking to build a united opposition against the BJP and the JD(U) of Nitish Kumar being increasingly sidelined in Bihar, the Congress and RJD are keen to present a united front.
The meeting came amid demands by the RJD that Yadav not be shifted back to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi, citing lack of adequate facilities there. Yadav, who was imprisoned in Ranchi in December after being found guilty in a Fodder Scam case, was admitted to RIMS on March 16 after complaining of chest pain.
A medical review board at RIMS decided to shift Yadav to AIIMS after finding that his sugar levels were rising and he had developed kidney problems.
On Monday afternoon, AIIMS officials claimed Yadav was stable and fit to travel and could be moved to RIMS.