Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) supremo and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav has been admitted to Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after his health suddenly deteriorated. He is currently under the supervision of doctors, and his condition is reported to be stable. Family members are present at the hospital, ensuring his care and support.
Photos of the former chief minister surfaced as Price Yadav on X posted, "The Messiah of the poor, National President, Honorable Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav has been admitted to Delhi AIIMS due to ill health. All the people of Bihar are praying to God that Lalu ji gets well soon."
Lalu Yadav could be seen lying on a hospital bed surrounded by well-wishers in the photos.
Lalu Prasad had arrived in Delhi on Monday, the same day he took a critical stance against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the Modi government recently rejecting the longstanding demand by the JD(U) for special category status for Bihar, leading Prasad to question Kumar's leadership.
Lalu Yadav Demands Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's Resignation, JD(U) Hits Back
Responding to journalists on Monday, Lalu Yadav criticised CM Kumar, stating, "Nitish Kumar appears to have compromised Bihar's aspirations and the trust of its people for the sake of power. He had promised to secure special status for Bihar, but now that the Centre has denied it, he should resign", as quoted by news agency PTI.
On the first day of the Monsoon session in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary declared in a written reply that the demand for special category status for Bihar was not justified. He referred to a 2012 inter-ministerial group report which concluded that Bihar did not meet the criteria for such status. Chaudhary elaborated that historically, the National Development Council (NDC) granted special category status to states with specific characteristics requiring special consideration.
In response, JD(U) criticised Lalu Prasad for seeking Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's resignation. Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Bihar's parliamentary affairs minister and a close aide of Kumar, told PTI, "The Centre's reply that special category status can't be granted to Bihar does not mean that JD(U)'s demand has been rejected. We have consistently asked for either special category status, a special package, or additional financial help from the Centre. Bihar is one of the poorest states, despite managing its finances on its own."
He added, "Bihar can be given a special package or additional financial help if not special category status. We are confident that Bihar will soon get a special package."