BJP chief Amit Shah down with swine flu

BJP's national chief Amit Shah is down with swine flu and is being treated at AIIMS in Delhi. 

Hope to get well soon, the BJP chief tweeted. On Tuesday, Amit Shah had offered prayers at the Jagannath Temple in Ahmedabad, reports NDTV. 

"I have been diagnosed with swine flu for which the treatment is underway. With God's grace and your love and wishes, I hope to recover soon," he said.

According to sources at AIIMS, the BJP leader was admitted following complaints of chest congestion and breathing issues around 9 pm. The doctors are monitoring his condition under the supervision of AIIMS director Randeep Guleria, sources said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh was among the first ones to react and tweeted Amit Shah that he will pray for his speedy recovery.

Spoke to @AmitShah ji who is undergoing treatment for Swine Flu at AIIMS and inquired about his health. I pray for his speedy recovery.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 16, 2019 

The Congress also wished him well.

We're sorry to hear senior BJP leaders Shri @AmitShah & Shri @arunjaitley are unwell. We wish them a speedy recovery.

— Congress (@INCIndia) January 16, 2019

Swine flu is a respiratory disease caused by a strain of the H1N1 influenza. The symptoms are similar to those of a seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches and chills. 

The BJP has planned to launch its election campaign in West Bengal with a series of rallies by Amit Shah. His first rally is expected to be held in Malda on January 20, a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's mega show. But it remains to be seen if the BJP chief will be up and about by then.

Reports suggest that union minister Arun Jaitley is also unwell. The 66-year-old finance minister is in the US for a "regular medical check-up" following a kidney transplant last year, news agency Reuters reported.

Finance Ministry sources said the minister "is expected to be back by the weekend".