Gurugram, Oct 10 (IANS): Thousands of supporters gathered outside the Medanta hospital here, where Samajwadi Party Supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav breathed his last around 8.16 a.m. on Monday.

The veteran leader passed away after spending several days in the ICU where his condition was critical.

SP chief and Mulayam Singh Yadav's son, Akhilesh Yadav confirmed the news of the leader's death on Twitter.

In a tweet, he said,"My respected father and everyone's leader is no more."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah was among the leaders who visited the Medanta Hospital Gurugram soon after.

The founder of the Samajwadi Party was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Medanta hospital in Gurugram on October 1, with breathing problems and was later shifted to the ICU of the hospital due to his critical health condition. He was later placed on life-supporting drugs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the tributes, tweeting that Mulayam Singh Yadav's death had left a huge loss in Indian politics.

The news of the death was met with howls of grief and tears from the crowd of supporters outside the hospital.

Several policemen were deployed around the hospital to control the crowds and supporters of their leader.

"He was our beloved leader who played a major role in the development of Uttar Pradesh. His contribution towards the development of UP cannot be forgotten," a supporter of the leader outside the hospital said.

On Sunday, the Medanta Hospital said in a health bulletin, "Mulayam Singh Yadav ji's condition is quite critical today and he is on life-saving drugs. He is being treated in the ICU of Medanta Hospital, Gurugram, by a comprehensive team of specialists."