India prays for Atal Bihari Vajpayee - Ex-PM critical, on life-support system; Modi visits him again

The condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee remains critical and he continues to be on a life-support system.

"Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition continues to remain the same. He is critical and on life support systems, said AIIMS in a statement.

The 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party leader was admitted at the premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi again visited the ailing leader on Thursday after visiting the AIIMS on Wednesday evening.

On Thursday morning, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, BJP chief Amit Shah, LK Advani, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh visited him.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia also visited AIIMS.

Prayers underway for Atal Bihari Vajpayee in ND Convent Public School in Lucknow.

#WATCH Prayers underway for #AtalBihariVaajpayee in ND Convent Public School in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/F5Y0BZsAsf

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 16, 2018

Students of the Government Ayurvedic College in Gwalior also prayed for the health of former prime minister.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi, Suresh Prabhu, Jitendra Singh, Harsh Vardhan and Shahnawaz Hussain were among several leaders who visited the hospital.

"He is our idol. With just his presence we got inspiration and encouragement, we pray for his health, no one can ever be like Atal Ji, campaigning for him was an honour for me," said Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

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 agency inputs)