Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister, dies at 93, breathes his last at 5:05 PM

The BJP veteran was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee. File Photo

New Delhi: Former Prime Minister and veteran Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on Thursday afternoon at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital. He was 93. Vajpayee breathed his last at 5:05 pm, the hospital said. "It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former Prime Minister of India Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at 5.05 pm," the hospital said in a statement.

Former Prime Minister & Bharat Ratna #AtalBihariVaajpayee passes away in AIIMS. He was 93. pic.twitter.com/r12aIPF5G0

— ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018

The BJP veteran was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. Later, he was put on an artificial life support system (ventilator) as his health worsened. The AIIMS could be seen flooded with visitors on Wednesday night, and even Thursday morning which included Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu; who had come to enquire about Vajpayee’s health. Vajpayee had thrice served as a Prime Minister of the country and was known for his excellent speeches and poems. He served as Prime Minister for a short stint in 1996. Later on March 19, 1998, he took charge as Prime Minister of India and again on October 13, 1999, for the second consecutive term as the head of a new coalition government. Vajpayee first experienced politics with the Quit India Movement, during the struggle for Independence. He also joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a swayamsevak in 1939. He was conferred with Bharat Ratna award, India's highest civilian honour, in 2014. The entire country is grieving his demise.