Atal Bihari Vajpayee death: 'India lost a great son', mourns Rahul Gandhi

Atal Bihari Vajpayee death: Earlier in the day, Gandhi visited Atal Bihari Vajpayee at AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) where the former PM was admitted.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi mourned the loss of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Thursday. (PTI)

Congress president Rahul Gandhi mourned the loss of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Thursday. Calling the deceased leader as India's great son, Congress chief took to Twitter and expressed his condolences over the loss of the veteran politician. He wrote, "Today India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family and all his admirers. We will miss him."

Today India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family & all his admirers. We will miss him. #AtalBihariVajpayee

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 16, 2018

Earlier in the day, Gandhi visited Atal Bihari Vajpayee at AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) where the former PM was admitted. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition continued to deteroite after he was admitted to AIIMS on June 11. He was critical and was kept on life support systems. He breathed his last at 5:05 pm in New Delhi today, August 16. He was 93. Vajpayee was admitted to AIIMS with kidney tract infection, chest congestion, urinary tract infection and low urine output. The 93-year-old BJP leader, was diabetic and had one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia. On Thursday AIIMS said in a press statement while announcing the demise of the leader. "It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at 05:05pm on 16.08.2018. Shri Vajpayee was admitted in AIIMS on 11.06.2018 and was stable in the last 9 weeks under the care of a team of AIIMS doctors. Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems. Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today. We join the nation in deeply mourning this great loss."