Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition critical, on life support system: AIIMS

Vajpayee, 93, was admitted to AIIMS in New Delhi on June 11.

NEW DELHI: Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health has deteriorated and is currently on life support system. According to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the medical condition of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart has worsened over the last 24 hours. He is critical.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Smriti Irani were among those who visited the AIIMS in Delhi on Wednesday to inquire about Vajpayee's health.

The 93-year-old leader has been receiving treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi since June 11 for multiple ailments. He was taken to the hospital with chest congestion, kidney infection, urinary tract infection and other associated conditions.

The three-time prime minister has been ailing since he suffered a stroke in 2009. He subsequently developed dementia, and has had trouble with cognition and memory.

PM Modi visited AIIMS on Wednesday evening to inquire about his predecessor's health. Earlier in the day, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani too visited AIIMS.

Just about 12 hours earlier, PM Modi had cited Vajpayee in his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort. He had quoted Vajpayee in the context of peace in Kashmir. "We will move forward in Jammu and Kashmir by embracing people and not by bullet and abuse (goli and gaali). For Jammu and Kashmir, Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said --insaniyat (humanity), Kashmiriyat (eclectic Kashmiri culture), jamhooriyat (democracy). I have also said the solution of every problem of Jammu and Kashmir can be done only by embracing. Our government is committed to the development of all the areas and all sections of Jammu and Kashmir," PM Modi had said.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee served as Prime Minister of India for three terms that began in 1996, 1998 and 1999. He was the first non-Congress, non-Gandhi Prime Minister to complete a five-year term.