GUWAHATI: The health of former Assam chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, who is currently at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi for medical check-up, is stable, a close aide of the veteran political leader said on Friday.
Mahanta, 68, was flown to AIIMS by an air ambulance from here on Thursday evening with reports circulating that his health had deteriorated.
However, Dhruba Sarma, a close aide of Mahanta, informed The Shillong Times here on Friday afternoon that the two-time minister “is stable” and that he had gone to the national capital only to undergo some medical tests at AIIMS.
“He was admitted to a private hospital here a few days ago for high blood pressure but is stable now. There has been no deterioration of his health, as reported in a section of the media. Yes, he had availed an air ambulance to AIIMS for medical tests. His family is by his side and it might take four to five days before he returns to Guwahati,” Sarma said.
He further informed that Mahanta was discharged from the private hospital here four days back after undergoing treatment.
Earlier in September last year as well, the two-time chief minister had to be hospitalised for high blood pressure.
Mahanta is currently an MLA from Barhampur Assembly constituency – a seat in central Assam’s Nagaon district which he has won for five consecutive terms since 1991.
The veteran politician had led the regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) to power in 1985 and 1996 before losing to Congress in the 2001 Assembly elections.
He was also the president of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) that spearheaded the six-year-long Assam Agitation against illegal foreigners in the state.