New Delhi, Aug 16: Former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna recipient Atal Bihari Vajpayee died at the age of 93 on Thursday. Vajpayee was admitted at AIIMS, Delhi, on June 11. The former Prime Minister was on life support after his health deteriorated on Wednesday evening, said his AIIMS health update press release. He was suffering from lower respiratory tract infection and kidney- related issues and was admitted to AIIMS.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was one of the first leaders to visit Vajpayee, after news of his health declining started to do the rounds. AIIMS, late on Wednesday night, had released the press release of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health update, which said that he was on life support. Check the press release in the image below:

Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health update by AIIMS on Wednesday, which said that his condition was critical and he was on life support.

Prominent BJP leaders and ministers like Smriti Irani, Piyush Goyal, and Jitendra Singh also visited the former prime minister at the AIIMS last night. According to the hospital, Vajpayee was put on ventilator for the past three days.

Vajpayee was sworn-in as the 10th Prime Minister of India in 1996, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the single largest party in 1996 general elections. He failed to prove majority in the Parliament and had to resign after 13 days. In 1998, Vajpayee became the prime minister again, this time for 13 months.

In the general election held in 1999, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance secured 303 seats paving the way for Vajpayee to become prime minister for the third time. Vajpayee became the first non Congress Prime Minister to have completed the full five year term as India's Prime Minister.

Vajpayee became the first person to deliver a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi. The three-time former PM along with LK Advani and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat formed the BJP in 1980.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 16, 2018 05:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).