Jaitley, Sushma taken ill during Advani yatra

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Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani today made his younger colleagues Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj realise that at 84 years of age he may be fitter than them when the two took ill and had to be given medical relief.

Party sources said both Swaraj, 57, and Jaitley, 58, fell ill during the bus journey in Advani's 'rath yatra' from Chhapra to Patna. Both of them felt a bout of nausea and vomitted.

Later, when the 'rath' was reaching Hajipur, which falls between Chhapra and Patna, the two decided to get down and board BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy's car. However, when Jaitley disembarked from the 'rath' he suffered a momentary black-out.

Sources said the two senior leaders were seated at the back of the rath and were affected as the exhaust of the vehicle's air-conditioner was not working properly.

BJP Bihar unit Chief C.P. Thakur, who is a doctor as well, was seated next to them. He also felt restless and uneasy and got down with Jaitley and Swaraj.

"The low oxygen level in the rear of the bus caused them their illness," a party leader said.

Thakur did a minor check-up of the two leaders when they took ill, sources said.

While Rudy ferried Jaitley and Swaraj in his car from Hajipur to Patna, Thakur used another car for the remaining journey.