Sinking political differences, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today attended an all-party meet organised by BJP to pay tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and hailed him as a champion of coalition politics.
He described Vajpayee as a man of firm principles and an idealistic poet and said the BJP patriarch was an astute leader who showed to the world the art of managing a coalition government with its myriad diversities.
Patnaik's party Biju Janata Dal had entered into an alliance with BJP when Vajpayee was the prime minister and ran a coalition government in the state from 2000 to 2009.
Patnaik said that he "cherished" his association with Vajpayee.
"I will always cherish my association with late Vajpayeeji especially as it was during my initial years in public life," said Patnaik, who was a minister in Vajpayee's cabinet from 1998 till he took charge as Odisha chief minister in 2000.
Speaking about the former prime minister's commitment to democractic values, he said "Vajpayeeji is a true democrat who chose to lose on the floor of the House upholding the values of our Constitution. His death is truely end of an era."
The Vajpayee-led NDA govevernment had lost the floor test ending his 13 month government on April 17, 1999. The then Odisha chief minister Giridhar Gamang's (who is now in BJP) single vote was crucial and Vajpayee lost the no-trust motion by only one vote. While NDA got 269 votes, opposition managed 270 with the vote of Gamang who was then in Congress.
Gamang had, however, said that he had not done anything wrong and voted against NDA government as per party direction. "I was a Congress MP. My party's whip is binding on me. I had no choice and reason not to obey party diktat," Gamang had said a day after Vajpayee's death on August 16.
In his speech, Patnaik hailed the former prime minister as a "champion of coalition politics in the country".
He said, Vajpayee's death is a great national loss and a personal loss him also. "He (Vajpayee) embodied a unique combination of grace, idealism and tolerance in politics. A true statesman who was admired across the political spectrum. His depth, vision and understanding of issues was unparalleled."
Referring to the former prime minister's links with Odisha, he said "Vajpayeeji had a large heart with a special corner for Odisha - love that was equally reciprocated by the people of Odisha. We will miss you Vjapayeeji."
Odisha PCC president Niranjan Patnaik said he was overwhelmed by Vajpayee's speech where he had mentioned that democracy is above everything and it is not important which party remains in power or not.
"We should learn from Vajpayeeji on political courtesy, democratic values and how to remain above party lines despite being in power," he said said adding that Vajpayee was popular because he had been a "people's prime minister."
Senior BJP leader B B Harichandan said Vajpayee's contribution will be remembered forever. The Pokhran nuclear test conducted during his rule had created a new identity for India across the globe.
He recalled how Vajpayeeji came to the rescue Odisha when it was hit by a super cyclone in October 1999.
BJP state president Basant Panda described Vajpayee as a "Bharat Mata's true son."
Union ministers Jual Oram, Dharmendra Pradhan, a number of MPs, MLAs and ministers attended the all party meeting.
A memorial service was held and saw saw leaders cutting across party lines paying tribute the departed leader.
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