Veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani, 96, has been admitted to Apollo Hospital in New Delhi. The former deputy Prime Minister is kept under observation but his condition is currently "stable," hospital officials said.
LK Advani is being monitored by a team under Dr Vinit Suri, a senior consultant in the neurology department, news agency PTI reported. However, the exact cause of the BJP leader's hospitalisation could not be immediately known. The report added that Advani was brought to Apollo Hospital two days ago.
Earlier in March, President Droupadi Murmu had conferred Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian honour, upon L.K. Advani at a ceremony held at his residence in New Delhi. The formal ceremony was attended by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and the family members of Advani.
The longest-serving president of the BJP, Advani had joined the RSS at the age of 14. He served as the Home Minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cabinet from 1999 to 2004 before becoming the Deputy Prime Minister. He is best remembered for labelling himself the "charioteer" who steered the 'rath yatra' that began in Gujarat's Somnath on September 25, 1990, and culminated with the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992.
Born on November 8, 1927, in Karachi, Advani arrived in Delhi in September 1947 during the partition. His association with AB Vajpayee became serious in 1957. He became the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) president in 172, two years after becoming a Rajya Sabha member.