The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary party, which met here on Tuesday, condoled the demise of former president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam who passed away in Shillong yesterday evening.
Talking to the media after the meeting, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and BJP leader Rajeev Pratap Rudy said two minutes silence was observed as a mark of respect for Dr. Kalam.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani were also present in today's BJP parliamentary meeting.
Dr. Kalam collapsed after a massive cardiac arrest while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management in Shillong last evening.
The government has declared a seven-day national mourning as a mark of respect for Dr Kalam, who played a stellar role in advancing India's nuclear programme.
His body is being flown to New Delhi from Guwahati this morning.
Considered the most popular president, Dr Kalam became the11th head of the state and occupied the post between 2002 and 2007 during the NDA government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.