Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee dies at 93
NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of India’s most charismatic leaders who led the nation through several crises and held together a tenuous coalition with his inclusive politics, died here today.
He was 93. Vajpayee, a bachelor, is survived by his adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya.
Vajpayee was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on June 11 with kidney infection, chest congestion, urinary tract infection and low urine output.
His death was announced by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital where he was admitted June 11 with a variety of ailments.
“It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of Former Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, at 05:05 PM,” the AIIMS said in a statement.
It said his condition was stable for the last nine weeks, but “unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems.”
The 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, a diabetic, had one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia.
Since Wednesday evening, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many other leaders across the political spectrum visited the former prime minister.
The BJP stalwart, who has been a Parliamentarian for over four decades, was among the founding members of the party.
“It was Atalji’s exemplary leadership that set the foundations for prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century,” Modi said.
India grieves the demise of our beloved Atal Ji.
His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP Karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness. Om Shanti.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2018
Vajpayee, who joined the Rashtriya Swamsevak Sangha (RSS) in 1947 rose through ranks to become a stalwart of the BJP and was the first non-Congress prime minister to complete a full term in office.
“It was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atal Ji that the BJP was built brick by brick,” Modi said in a tweet.
“He travelled across the length and breadth of India to spread the BJP’s message, which led to the BJP becoming a strong force in our national polity and in several states,” he added.
Seen as a moderate face of BJP, Vajpayee’s first became prime minister in 1996, leading a shaky coalition whose members were suspicious of the BJP’s right-wing politics.
It lasted for 13 days and collapsed after losing a vote of no-confidence.
His second stint as prime minister was in 1998 when the National Democratic Alliance again came to power but that lasted for just 13 months.
Finally, the NDA with Vajpayee as PM returned to power in 1999 and was voted out in 2004.
A 10-time MP of the Lok Sabha, Vajpayee announced his retirement from politics in 2005.
He was also a member of the Rajya Sabha twice.
The former prime minister was admitted to the hospital on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion.
Vajpayee, a diabetic, had only one functional kidney. He suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia.
Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh to a schoolteacher, Krishna Bihari Vajpayee, and Krishna Devi.
Today, his birthday is celebrated as ‘Good Governance Day’.
His sincerity and commitment towards his work is known not only in the political circles but among the populace of the country. Vajpayee’s birth date, December 25, was named Good Governance Day in 2015.
