Mahajan had a vision for the future: Vajpayee
Condolence meeting held at Talkatora Indoor Stadium

TRIBUTES: Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee along with the former Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee and BJP leader L.K. Advani at a ``Shradhanjali,'' function to pay tribute to Pramod Mahajan in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on Wednesday said whenever India's future was discussed or dangers to democracy loomed large, the country would remember the Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Pramod Mahajan, who died of bullet injuries on May 3.

At a condolence meeting held at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium here, Mr. Vajpayee said Mahajan had the capacity to take everybody along with him despite ideological differences. "He was a person of principle, values and had the ability to get people together on various issues. His qualities are worth emulating."

True homage to the departed leader would be to try and work towards not only following the principles and values of democracy like he did but also to expand and strengthen them. "Holding on to values in politics has become a difficult task these days. But he showed that with some effort ideals can still be upheld," Mr. Vajpayee said.

Lauding the BJP leader's quality of being able to see things in their totality, he recalled how he went ahead with an Independence Day speech, drafted by Mahajan, with only minor changes. "He had a vision for the future."

Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani remembered Mr. Mahajan's ability to look at issues in their entirety. "He would speak on any issue only after everyone had voiced his or her opinion. And what he proposed at the end was usually accepted by everyone," he said. Mahajan was a role model for many in politics.

Both leaders extended their condolences to the Mahajan's family. The late leader's son, Rahul, was present.

A born fighter

Calling ``Pramod bhai'' a born fighter and a man of courage, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said it was sad that he had to participate in this function organised to pay homage to one of those persons whose absence was not only a loss to the BJP but also to the nation.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, in her message read out by AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot, said his death was a shock to her and an irreparable loss to the BJP.

President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the former Prime Ministers, V. P. Singh and I.K. Gujral, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and U.P. Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav also sent condolence messages and offered tribute to the ``Chanakya of coalition politics.''

BJP president Rajnath Singh, party leader Gopinath Munde, Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh and the former Defence Minister, George Fernandes attended the meeting.