Sonia Gandhi meets Lalu Prasad in Delhi; Tejashwi flags oppn unity against BJP
Synopsis
Sonia Gandhi's bedside visit to an ailing Lalu Prasad in Delhi is both a personal gesture and a political signal — underscoring the Congress-RJD bond that anchors the INDIA bloc's Bihar strategy. As Tejashwi Yadav raises the temperature over the Ramlila Maidan rally and demands action against Gyanesh Kumar, the opposition is signalling it is far from done.
Key Takeaways
Sonia Gandhi visited Lalu Prasad Yadav at Misa Bharti's residence in New Delhi on 2 November 2026 to enquire about his health.
Lalu Prasad is receiving specialised medical care at AIIMS, Delhi after earlier treatment at IGIMS, Patna ; his condition is stated to be stable .
Lalu Prasad shared photographs of the meeting on X , recalling UPA-era welfare laws including MGNREGA , RTE , and RTI , and the ₹1.45 lakh crore Bihar allocation under Dr Manmohan Singh .
Tejashwi Yadav confirmed the visit was primarily a health inquiry, calling the Gandhi family and his own family longstanding allies.
Tejashwi stressed opposition unity as essential to the INDIA bloc's fight against the BJP, calling the Ramlila Maidan rally a stepping stone rather than a finale.
Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday, 2 November 2026, visited Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav at the New Delhi residence of his daughter Misa Bharti, enquiring about his health as he continues to receive specialised medical care at AIIMS, New Delhi.
Lalu Prasad's Health Update
According to family members, Lalu Prasad — who has been managing health issues for several years — was recently shifted to Delhi for specialised medical consultation after undergoing treatment and observation at IGIMS, Patna. His condition is currently stated to be stable.
What Lalu Prasad Said
Sharing photographs of the meeting on X, Lalu Prasad wrote that Sonia Gandhi's visit brought back memories of their political association during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. He recalled landmark welfare legislations enacted under the UPA, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Right to Education (RTE) Act, and the Right to Information (RTI) Act. He also noted that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's government had allocated more than ₹1.45 lakh crore for Bihar's development during that period.
Tejashwi on the Meeting and Opposition Unity
Bihar Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav said the visit was primarily a health inquiry. 'Lalu Prasad had come to Delhi for his routine medical check-up. I also met Sonia Gandhi and informed her about this. She herself expressed a desire to meet Lalu Prasad, which is why she visited him today,' Tejashwi said. He added that the two leaders have maintained a strong personal and political relationship since the UPA years, and that both families share a longstanding bond.
INDIA Bloc Rally and the Battle Ahead
Commenting on the INDIA bloc's rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, Tejashwi stressed that opposition unity was indispensable to mounting an effective challenge to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 'We will not win this battle unless we stand united. We did gather yesterday, but that was not the final event. We are not the kind of people who will sit quietly until action is taken against Gyanesh Kumar,' he said.
Targeting the BJP over remarks describing the Ramlila Maidan rally as a failure, Tejashwi questioned the ruling party's sharp reaction. 'Why are they so nervous? If the rally had been a flop, why would there be any need to prove it was a flop? They know that there is unease and turmoil,' he said. This comes amid growing efforts within the INDIA bloc to consolidate ahead of upcoming electoral contests, with Sunday's rally seen as a renewed attempt to project collective strength.
Point of View
And this one is no exception. Sonia Gandhi's trip to Misa Bharti's residence is a visible reaffirmation of the Congress-RJD axis at a moment when the INDIA bloc's internal cohesion is under scrutiny. Tejashwi's combative framing — deflecting BJP's 'failed rally' narrative by questioning the ruling party's anxiety — suggests the opposition knows the Ramlila Maidan optics were contested. The unresolved demand over Gyanesh Kumar signals that the bloc is trying to build a sustained agitation rhythm, not a single-event spectacle. Whether personal solidarity between the Gandhi and Yadav families can translate into durable electoral coordination in Bihar remains the harder question.
NationPress
2 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Sonia Gandhi visit Lalu Prasad Yadav in Delhi?
Sonia Gandhi visited Lalu Prasad Yadav on 2 November 2026 to enquire about his health. Lalu Prasad had been shifted to Delhi for specialised medical consultation at AIIMS after earlier treatment at IGIMS in Patna, and his condition is currently stated to be stable.
What is Lalu Prasad Yadav's current health condition?
According to family members, Lalu Prasad's condition is currently stable. He was recently moved from IGIMS, Patna to AIIMS, New Delhi for specialised medical care, having dealt with health issues for several years.
What did Tejashwi Yadav say about the Sonia Gandhi-Lalu Prasad meeting?
Tejashwi Yadav said the meeting was primarily intended to inquire about his father's health, noting that Sonia Gandhi herself expressed a desire to visit. He described the Gandhi and Yadav families as longstanding allies who have supported each other through difficult circumstances.
What did Tejashwi Yadav say about the INDIA bloc's Ramlila Maidan rally?
Tejashwi said the Ramlila Maidan rally was not the final event but a step in a larger campaign, and that the opposition would need to stand united to challenge the BJP. He also demanded action against Gyanesh Kumar and questioned the BJP's sharp reaction to the rally.
What UPA-era achievements did Lalu Prasad recall after meeting Sonia Gandhi?
In a post on X sharing photographs of the meeting, Lalu Prasad recalled landmark welfare legislations from the UPA period — MGNREGA, the Right to Education Act, and the Right to Information Act. He also noted that Dr Manmohan Singh's government had allocated more than ₹1.45 lakh crore for Bihar's development.
