Union minister Nitin Gadkari fainted during a program in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra on Friday because of what he later said was a low level of blood sugar.

Gadkari, 61, got dizzy and almost collapsed while the national anthem was playing during the convocation ceremony of the Mahatma Phule Agricultural University. Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao caught hold of him before he was about to fall.

The incident happened after Gadkari addressed the audience at the ceremony.

“The minister’s condition is stable now. He felt dizzy and had a fainting spell because of low sugar. He is on his way to Shirdi and will move to Nagpur from there,” his personal assistant Avinash Ghushe said.

“Had slight medical condition due to low sugar. I have been attended by doctors and i am doing well now. I thank all of you for all the well wishes,” Gadkari tweeted later.

Had slight medical condition due to low sugar. I have been attended by doctors and i am doing well now. I thank all of you for all the well wishes.

— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) December 7, 2018

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader had undergone a gastric bypass surgery at the Saifee Hospital in 2011 for treatment of Type-2 diabetes. Gadkari was suffering from diabetic nephropathy or damage to the kidneys.

A gastric bypass surgery, also known as bariatric surgery, makes the stomach smaller, leading to an altered response to food intake.

First Published: Dec 07, 2018 14:22 IST