Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee At AIIMS; PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi Visit Him

Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been away from public life since 2009

Highlights

Atal Bihari Vajpayee admitted to Delhi's AIIMS hospital
BJP says it's a routine check-up; sources say he is stable
Team of doctors attend to him, hospital denies reports of cardiac arrest

New Delhi: Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was admitted to Delhi's AIIMS hospital today "for a routine check-up and investigations," his party BJP said today. He will spend the night in hospital.

"Former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was admitted today at AIIMS, New Delhi for investigation and evaluation. He has been diagnosed with a urinary tract infection for which appropriate treatment has been closely monitored and treated by a team of doctor," the hospital said in a statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited him in hospital in the evening. Congress president Rahul Gandhi also visited the BJP veteran, who was admitted to hospital around 11.30 am.

The 93-year-old former PM's condition is stable, the hospital said in a health bulletin, adding that many tests were being carried out. Sources say he is in the VIP CCU or coronary care unit.

The treatment is being monitored by Randeep Guleria, the director of AIIMS or All India Institute of Medical Sciences and the doctor who was Mr Vajpayee's personal physician for over three decades.

After his visit, PM Modi's office tweeted:

PM @narendramodi visited former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at AIIMS today. He was at AIIMS for about 50 minutes.

The Prime Minister interacted with family members of Shri Vajpayee. He also spoke to doctors and enquired about the health of Shri Vajpayee. pic.twitter.com/CctZYDJV8o
- PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 11, 2018

A team of doctors from the nephrology, gastroenterology, pulmonology and cardiology departments is looking after the former Prime Minister, say sources.

AIIMS dismissed reports of a cardiac arrest or any specific trigger for the check-up.

Mr Vajpayee, the first non-Congress PM to complete a five year term, has been away from public life since 2009, and has not been seen leaving his home in Delhi.

In 2009, he was admitted to hospital just 48 hours before a party's leadership meeting in Nagpur. That was when he stepped away from active politics.

Mr Vajpayee, a ruled the country for 13 days in 1996, 13 months in 1998 and for almost six years from 1999. He is regarded as one of the tallest leaders of his party. On his birthday on December 25, the BJP-led government celebrates Good Governance Day.

In 2015, he was honoured with the highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.