New Delhi, Aug 17: Bharat Ratna and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee breathed his last at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) following a prolonged illness on Thursday. Vajpayee was admitted to AIIMS on June 11. Since Vajpayee's condition worsened on Wednesday evening, a host of political leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and union ministers and chief ministers visted him at AIIMS. See latest photos of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and pictures of leaders paying last respects to him below.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and all the three armed forces chiefs on Friday paid homage to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose body was lying in state at his residence. PM Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah visited Vajpayee's residence late on Thursday. PM Modi visited AIIMS twice on Thursday after Vajpayee's condition deteriorated. Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, famous song writer Javed Akthar and his wife Shabana Azmi also paid their homage to Vajpayee.

President Ram Nath Kovind Paying Tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Photo Credit: IANS)
President Ram Nath Kovind Paying Tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Photo Credit: IANS)
President Ram Nath Kovind Paying Tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Photo Credit: IANS)
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba Pays Tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Photo Credit: ANI)
Kerala Governor P Sathasivam Pay Tributes to Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Photo Credit: ANI)
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat Pays Last Respects to Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Photo Credit: ANI)
Andhar Pradesh CM Pays Last Respects to Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Photo Credit: ANI)
Congress president Rahul Gandhi Pays Last Respects to Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Photo Credit: ANI)
Congress president Rahul Gandhi Pays Last Respects to Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Photo Credit: ANI)
Sonia Gandhi Congress Pays Tributes to Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Photo Credit: ANI)
Congress leader Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia Pays Tributes to Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Photo Credit: ANI)
DMK president MK Stalin Pays Last Respects to Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Photo Credit: ANI)

Vajpayee's body will be brought to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters at 6-A Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg at 9 a.m. His funeral procession will begin at 1:00 pm. and the last rites will be performed at 4:00 pm at Smriti Sthal. Vajpayee was a founder member of the BJP and the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term in office. He was at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for nine weeks before he passed away.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 17, 2018 10:07 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).