Veteran BJP leader LK Advani is showing signs of improvement and will likely be shifted out of the ICU of Apollo Hospital in New Delhi, where he was admitted from December 13, in the next two days.

According to a statement released by the hospital, the 96-year-old leader is being treated by Dr Vinit Suri, a senior consultant in the neurology department, and has shown gradual improvement.

Advani was hospitalised for a routine check-up on December 13 and shifted to ICU on December 15.

Notably, the veteran BJP leader was admitted to Apollo Hospital for a brief period in July due to age-related issues. He had also been admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) before that for similar reasons.

Born in Karachi (now in Pakistan) on November 8, 1927, Advani joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at the age of 14 and became a founding member of the BJP in 1980.

He has served as the BJP’s national president multiple times and played a key role in the party’s rise to national prominence, especially during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in the 1990s.

He also held key positions in the government, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government from 1999 to 2004.

Advani was conferred with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, by President Droupadi Murmu in March this year.