Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health remains in critical condition (File photo)

Highlights Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health worsened over last 24 hours: AIIMS

The statement came hours after PM Modi visited the hospital

Mr Vajpayee was admitted to AIIMS on June 11, nine weeks ago

In hospital for the last nine weeks, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health has worsened since Tuesday and is critical, an official statement by AIIMS said late on Wednesday evening. The statement said the former prime minister is on life support system.

93-year-old Mr Vajpayee, who was India's 10th Prime Minister, was admitted to the hospital on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, chest congestion and urine output on the lower side.

The statement was issued hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited AIIMS Wednesday evening to enquire about the condition of the former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who is undergoing treatment there.

PM Modi reached the hospital at around 7.15 pm and spent about 50 minutes there. This was PM Modi's fourth visit to Mr Vajpayee in AIIMS since he has been admitted.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Amit Shah and veteran BJP leader LK Advani visited the former Prime Minister today. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is to fly in to Delhi later today to visit Mr Vajpayee.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, BJP lawmaker Meenakshi Lekhi and Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani had also visited the hospital to check on Mr Vajpayee.

"I have been praying to god that just once I can see him give a speech again. Our family can never ever erase that image of his from our minds. I hope he gets well soon," Mr Vajpayee's niece Kanti Mishra said.

The 1924 born leader is under the supervision of Dr Randeep Guleria, a pulmonologist and currently the Director of AIIMS. Dr Guleria has served as personal physician to Atal Bihari Vajpayee for over three decades.

A team of doctors from the nephrology, gastroenterology, pulmonology and cardiology departments is looking after the former Prime Minister, sources had said.

Following is the full statement released by AIIMS on former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health:

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was thrice elected the prime minister between 1996 and 1999 and is the only non-Congress prime minister to complete the full term of five years, from 1999 to 2004. As his health deteriorated, he had slowly withdrawn himself from public life and was confined to his residence for years.