Lalu out of ICU, making progress after heart surgery

Eight days after undergoing a triple heart surgery, RJD chief chief Lalu Prasad was Thursday shifted out of the intensive care unit at the Asian Heart Institute here, a hospital official said.

"He showed encouraging progress today (Thursday) and has been moved out of the ICU. He is having normal food now," said hospital medical director Vijay D'Silva.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal chief will now be additionally supervised by Harin Vyas, head of familial diseases and non-invasive cardiology at the hospital, D'Silva said.

The former Bihar chief minister was admitted Aug 25 for heart-related ailments and underwent a series of tests.

On Aug 27, heart surgeon and hospital chief Ramakanta Panda and his team performed three heart surgeries on him for over six hours.

The surgeries were for an aortic valve replacement, an aortic repair and sealing a three-mm hole in the heart.

According to Panda, Lalu Prasad tolerated the surgeries well and has been progressing fine since then. He is likely to be discharged in the next few days.

Leaders from various political parties called on Lalu Prasad during his stay in the hospital.