Sonia undergoes surgery successfully

Congress releases statement on party president's health, says she is recuperating in a hospital aboard. No word on the nature of the surgical procedure Sonia underwent.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has successfully undergone surgery and is presently in the intensive care unit of a hospital, her party announced on Friday.

File-photo-of-Congress-chief-Sonia-Gandhi-who-is-recuperating-in-a-hospital-abroad-after-a-surgery

Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi issued a brief statement saying that Gandhi, 64, underwent a surgery on August 4 and the surgeon has indicated it had been successful.

The statement did not disclose what was the surgery was and where it was performed. Gandhi's children, party general secretary Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are accompanying her. Priyanka's husband Robert Vadra is with them, said Dwivedi.

The party statement requested that Gandhi's privacy be respected. "This is a personal matter that pertains to her health and medical treatment. Her family requests that her privacy be respected," Dwivedi said.

Not only the nature of the surgery, even Sonia's itinerary, including the duration and place of stay (surgery) is being kept under wraps on the advice of the special protection group (SPG) mandated for her security.

Gandhi has deputed a group comprising Rahul, senior party leaders AK Antony, Ahmed Patel and Dwivedi to manage party affairs in her absence.