JUNE 27,2024 : Former Deputy Prime Minister and veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Lal Krishna Advani, was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday. According to doctors, his condition is stable and he is currently under observation, being evaluated by specialists.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited AIIMS Delhi to meet the 96-year-old leader. Earlier this year, Advani was conferred the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, alongside four others.

Advani has had a distinguished political career, having served as the Deputy Prime Minister of India during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure. He played a significant role in the formation of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980 after he and several members of the Jana Sangh left the Janata Party. Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the first president of the BJP.

Advani contested his first Lok Sabha election in 1989 from the New Delhi seat and has been a pivotal figure in the Ram Temple movement, notably starting the Rath Yatra to demand the construction of the Ram temple at Ram Janmabhoomi.

Born on November 8, 1927, in Karachi, Advani joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at the age of 14. As an RSS secretary, he worked in various Indian cities, including Alwar, Bharatpur, and Kota. During Indira Gandhi's tenure, he was arrested during the Emergency.

Advani is the longest-serving president of the BJP, having first held the position from 1986 to 1990, succeeding Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He served again from 1993 to 1998 and from 2004 to 2005, after Venkaiah Naidu's resignation. He also served as the Leader of Opposition during Manmohan Singh’s first term as Prime Minister but resigned after a controversy over comments made about him and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, with Rajnath Singh succeeding him.

The political landscape of India owes much to Advani's contributions, and his current health situation has drawn attention and concern from across the country.