Mahajan operated upon

BJP leader Pramod Mahajan is undergoing a surgical procedure for removal of the packing which had been placed to stop bleeding from his liver, sources at the Hinduja Hospital said.

The doctors who have been monitoring Mahajan's condition decided to advance the procedure. Earlier, Director (Administration) Hinduja Hospital Anupam Verma had said the procedure would be carried out tomorrow morning.

Earlier in the day, Mahajan showed signs of "consciousness" and recognised his family members, though his condition continued to be "quite critical".

The 56-year-old BJP general secretary, who continued on life support in the intensive care unit of Hinduja Hospital, showed hand and eye movement. He was examined by Dr Mohammad Rela, a liver and pancreas specialist flown in from London.

"The condition of Pramod Mahajan has slightly improved but still remains quite critical. He is on life support measures in the intensive care unit," Dean of the hospital, Dr Anupam Verma, said.

Mahajan, shot at his Worli residence by youngest brother Pravin, showed some signs of "consciousness", apparently because of lower dosage of sedation, the doctor said.

Verma said Mahajan is showing hand and eye movement. His kidney functions remained poor although bleeding from his liver had slowed down a little bit, Verma added.

"When I met him, he smiled, and then nodded when I said he would recover. He could not speak because he has been put on ventilator support", his son Rahul Mahajan said.

Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who along with Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Jaswant Singh, visited Mahajan, said, "I have been told that compared with yesterday, his condition is better."

President APJ Abdul Kalam was in constant touch with Mahajan's family members, a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman said.

Pravin, charged with attempt to murder, was today remanded to seven-day police custody.

Meanwhile, Joint Commissioner of Police Arup Patnaik said he was not aware of reports quoting Praveen's wife that he was mentally unstable. "No, I am not aware of that. I don't know who is spreading this," he said.

Patnaik said Praveen's lawyer might be trying to prove a point. "His wife has given a very routine statement," he said.

Asked if there was any change in Praveen's behaviour, he said, "He is perfectly OK. He is in total control and command of his faculties".

However, Praveen's lawyer said his client needed medical attention for at least seven days and added that the police may interrogate him after that.