Atal Bihari Vajpayee remains critical; special prayers, yagnas being performed for former PM

BJP patriarch and former PM continues to be critical and has been put on an advanced life-support system at the AIIMS.

Image Courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: While the entire nation continues to pray for the speedy recovery of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, special prayers and yajnas are being performed across the country for his good health. According to reports, special prayers are yajnas are being performed at several famous temples including the Mahakal Temple in Ujjain dedicated to Lord Shiva in UP and Madhya Pradesh.

BJP supporters and fans of Vajpayee have thronged important religious centre and seats of learning to pray for their beloved leader.

A group of 11 priests have been chanting the 'Mahamrityunjaya' mantra for the speedy recovery of the veteran BJP leader.

In the Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh, students of Government Ayurvedic College are praying for the health of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who has been put on the life-support system at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi.

Gwalior: Students of Government Ayurvedic College pray for health of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who is admitted at AIIMS and is in critical condition. #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/TImYv5QFLe

— ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018

Meanwhile, members from the Muslim community, led by Khadim Syyed Irfan Chisti, held prayers at the revered Ajmer Sharif Dargah for the good health of the BJP stalwart. 

Prayers for the BJP stalwart are also being held in various schools and educational institutions across the country.  

#WATCH Prayers underway for #AtalBihariVaajpayee in ND Convent Public School in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/F5Y0BZsAsf — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 16, 2018

According to the latest bulletin issued by the AIIMS, the condition of Vajpayee still remains critical and he continues to be on an advanced life-support system.

The 93-year-old BJP veteran was admitted to the AIIMS here on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion.

Several top leaders including V-P Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers JHP Nadda, Smriti Irani and BJP chief Amit Shah and many others have visited AIIMS since morning to enquire about his health.

PM Modi reached the hospital at around 7.15 pm and spent about 50 minutes there.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu visited AIIMS this morning to enquire about the condition of the former prime minister. 

BJP veteran LK Advani was also at the hospital to enquire about the health of Vajpayee.

BJP chief Amit Shah, Union Health Minister J P Nadda, were also at AIIMS, while Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, West bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar are expected to visit the premier medical institute soon.

After PM Modi, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi also paid a visit.

Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari was also among those who visited the hospital.

Policemen have been deployed to manage the crowd and traffic outside the hospital.

Vajpayee, a diabetic, has only one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia.

(With PTI inputs)