Pranab Mukherjee's Condition Unchanged; "He's A Fighter," Tweets Son

Pranab Mukherjee had tweeted before his surgery that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

Pranab Mukherjee is "slowly responding to medical interventions" and was "always a fighter", his son tweeted today, hours after rubbishing rumours about his health. The 84-year-old former President of India, who tested positive for coronavirus, has been on ventilator support since a brain surgery on Monday. He is "deeply comatose" with stable parameters and his condition remained unchanged, the Army hospital said.

"My father is and has always been a fighter! He is slowly responding to medical interventions and all his vital parameters are stable . I urge upon every well-wisher to pray for my father's speedy recovery ! We need them," tweeted Abhijit Mukherjee.

Mr Mukherjee's son and daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee both this morning dismissed "speculation" and "fake news" on his health.

The Army Research and Referral hospital said in a statement that the former President's condition remained unchanged. "He is deeply comatose with stable vital parameters and he continues to be on ventilatory support," said the statement.

Last evening, Mr Mukherjee's son had described his condition as "haemodynamically stable" after the surgery to remove a clot in his brain. "With All Your Prayers, my father is haemodynamically stable now. I request everyone to continue with your prayers and good wishes for his speedy recovery. Thank You," he tweeted.

Mr Mukherjee had tweeted before his surgery on Monday that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

"On a visit to the hospital for a separate procedure, I have tested positive for COVID-19 today. I request the people who came in contact with me in the last week, to please self-isolate and get tested for COVID-19," he had posted.

Get-well wishes poured in for the veteran politician after the tweet, from politicians and others across the country. President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu spoke to his family and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the hospital on Monday.

His daughter wrote in an emotional post yesterday that she prayed God did whatever was best for her father. "Last year August 8 was one of the happiest days for me as my dad received Bharat Ratna. Exactly a year later on August 10 he fell critically ill. May God do whatever is best for him and give me strength to accept both joys and sorrows of life with equanimity. I sincerely thank all for their concerns," posted Sharmistha Mukherjee.

Special prayers have been held at Mr Mukherjee's ancestral village in West Bengal. The three-day "mrityunjay yagna" was organised by Mr Mukherjee's relatives in Birbhum district