LK Advani’s wife Kamla passes away; PM, President offer condolences

Kamla Advani, 83, the wife of BJP veteran L.K. Advani, passed away at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Wednesday due to heart failure. Kamla Advani, who had been suffering from age-related problems for some time and used a wheelchair for the last few months, was also suffering from memory loss.

President Pranab Mukherjee expressed condolence over the death. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, TMC chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, among others, condoled her demise. Former PM Manmohan Singh, who was in Guwahati, called up Mr Advani to convey his condolences.

Sources close to the family said Kamla Advani complained of uneasiness and breathlessness and was rushed to the AIIMS where doctors tried to revive her but in vain.

A statement issued by AIIMS said: “Kamla Advani, wife of L.K. Advani, was brought to the main casualty, AIIMS, at 5.10 pm in a very serious unconscious and unresponsive condition. Imme-diate evaluation revealed the patient to be in cardiopulmonary arrest.” It said that immediate resuscitation measures were provided by a team of doctors. “However, despite 60 mins of intensive efforts, she could not be revived and was declared dead at 6.10 pm,” the statement said. AIIMS director M.C. Mishra said: “She was pulseless, her blood pressure was not recordable and she was unresponsive. Resuscitative measures were put in place and after about an hour she was declared dead.”

Recalling his interactions with Kamla Advani, Mr Modi said his thoughts are with the Advani family in this hour of grief. “Deeply pained and saddened by Kamla Advaniji’s demise. She always inspired and motivated karyakartas and was L.K. Advaniji’s pillar of strength,” he tweeted.

Extending her condolences to Mr Advani and other family members, Mrs Gandhi said she shares the pain caused by their loss and prayed for the departed soul.

Union ministers Arun Jaitley, Rajnath Singh, Nit-in Gadkari, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, D.V. Sadananda Go-wda, J.P. Nadda and Prakash Javadekar were among the many who expressed grief over her death. RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said: “Saddened by the demise of Kamla Advani. She lived an ideal life by Advaniji’s side and an affectionate mata to all of us through her hospitality.”

Expressing his condolences, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said: “My sincere condolences to Advaniji on the passing away of his wife Kamla Advani. My prayers are with him and his family in this time of grief.”