By IANS
New Delhi : The charismatic and much-admired Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) leader and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee kept away from his birthday celebrations Tuesday, reportedly on account of “ill-health”.
The event, organized in the FICCI auditorium to celebrate Vajpayee’s 84th birthday, saw his longtime associates, former deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani and former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, reminiscing their more than five decade friendship with the man who was prime minister thrice.
Many prominent leaders of the BJP, flush from the party’s victory in Gujarat, were present on the occasion.
Though it had been announced that Vajpayee would attend the event – even Shekhawat mentioned in his speech that he was told Vajpayee will be present – he did not turn up. Vijay Goel, former BJP MP and minister in the office of Vajpayee when he was prime minister, said it was on account of “ill-health” that he could not make it.
Goel did not say what Vajpayee suffered from, though there have been media reports that he was suffering from dementia and ailments associated with old age.
Interestingly, Vajpayee met a host of people in the morning at his residence. The list included President Pratibha Patil, his successor and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Advani and party president Rajnath Singh had also visited him before taking a flight to Gandhinagar to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Even though Vajpayee has virtually retired from active politics since the party declared Advani its prime ministerial candidate on Dec 10, 2007, his popularity does not seem to have diminished. The large FICCI auditorium was jam-packed.
During their speeches, Vajpayee’s health and his long association with Advani and Shekhawat was the theme, with every speaker mentioning them.
Shekhawat remarked: “Since the Jan Sangh (BJP’s earlier name) days more than 50 years ago the organization and the people have benefited from his leadership.”
Advani said the journey under Vajpayee’s leadership and that of Indian politics are “parallel”. He added, “No other party has leaders who were associated with each other for so long and became vice president, prime minister and deputy prime minister of this country. It shows the organizational strength of the party.”
Advani called himself Vajpayee’s junior. “He was my leader and I wish him a long life and good health,” he said.
“The victory in Gujarat is a beautiful gift by our workers to Atalji. This victory will be a turning point in the history of this country,” Advani added.
Party president Rajnath Singh mentioned anecdotes from his association with Vajpayee and wished him good health.
A dance drama, “Mahabharata: Paaso ka khel”, penned by Vajpayee, was later staged.