Former Indian PM Vajpayee passes away

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee died on Thursday after battling prolonged illness at AIIMS in New Delhi, hospital authorities said.

He was 93.

Vajpayee, who was placed on life support as his condition worsened yesterday, breathed his last at 5.05pm today, reports The Times Of India.

The former Indian PM was admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on June 11 with kidney and urinary tract infections and low urine output, doctors, attending him at the hospital, said in a statement yesterday.

The statement said, “Vajpayee has been admitted to the AIIMS for the last nine weeks. His condition is critical and he is on life support.”

Vajpayee was elected the prime minister of India thrice between 1996 and 1999 and is the only non-Congress PM to have completed full term of five years in office from 1999 to 2004.

As his health failed, he became a total recluse and was seldom seen outside his residence for years.