Advani skips swearing-in due to sister's ill-health

Veteran BJP leader L K Advani today could not attend the swearing-in ceremony of 19 new ministers in the Union Council of Ministers due to the illness of his sister in Mumbai.

According to sources, the party veteran was in Mumbai to see his ailing sister Sheela whose health deteriorated suddenly and was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital there.

Sources said an invite for the swearing-in function of new ministers at Rashtrapati Bhawan was sent to him and he was to attend it but could not due to the exigency.

The 89-year-old leader represents the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat and is a member of BJP's margdarshak mandal.