India's ruling Congress Party says its leader, Sonia Gandhi, has traveled abroad to undergo surgery for an undisclosed medical condition.Party spokesman Janardhan Dwivedi told reporters Thursday that Gandhi could be away for two to three weeks. He did not say what the operation was for, but local media reports say it could be taking place in the United States.
Dwivedi initially caused confusion in the reporting of Gandhi's condition, telling reporters that she had already undergone surgery, before later retracting the statement.
He said a four-member group has been appointed to run the party in her absence. The group includes her son Rahul, who is widely seen as a future prime minister.
Born in Italy, the 64-year-old Gandhi is considered India's most powerful politician. She is the leading figure of a family which has ruled India for most of its post-independence history from Britain.
She is the widow of assassinated former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Her mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi, had also been assassinated while serving as prime minister, in 1984. And Indira Gandhi's father, Jawaharlal Nehru, was India's first premier.
Sonia Gandhi declined calls to become prime minister after being credited with leading her Congress Party to victory in the 2004 elections. (VOA News)
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