NEW DELHI – Former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed awayon Thursday in New Delhi at the age of 93, Indian media report.

According to the Indian media reports, the former Indian prime minister wassuffering from chronic kidney disease since a long time.

He was under treatment at All India Institute of Medical Sciences sinceJune.

During Vajpayee’s last days, Indian PM Narendra Modi and other leaders alsovisited him at the hospital and inquired about his health.

Vajpayee first became PM of India for only 16 days — May 16-31, 1996. Hewas reelected for prime minister-ship in March 1998, where he remained inthe office until May 13, 2004.