Former Deputy Prime Minister of India, LK Advani, has been hospitalized at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, the hospital confirmed in a statement. Though the hospital did not provide further details about the 96-year-old BJP leader’s condition, sources indicate he was admitted late Wednesday night. He is receiving treatment from specialists in the hospital’s geriatric department for age-related health issues.
Lal Krishna Advani has been a vital figure in Indian politics, renowned for his pivotal role in shaping the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and influencing national discourse. His political journey began with active involvement in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and later the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), where he rose through the ranks to become a prominent leader. Advani’s leadership spans crucial periods, including his presidency of the BJS in the 1970s and later of the BJP from 1986 to 1991 and again from 1993 to 1998.
He gained nationwide prominence during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, advocating for the construction of a temple at the Ayodhya site and leading the iconic Rath Yatra in 1990, which galvanized support for the BJP’s Hindutva agenda.
Serving as Deputy Prime Minister under Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government from 1998 to 2004, Advani also held the Home Minister portfolio. His influence on BJP’s ideology, rooted in Hindutva principles and a strong nationalist stance, continues to resonate despite his reduced frontline political role in recent years.
Advani remains a respected elder statesman within the BJP, celebrated for his contributions to Indian politics and the party’s ascent to power.