Vajpayee guided BJP from 'seeding' to shaping it a 'banyan tree': Amit Shah

Describing him as "Pole Star" of Indian politics, BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday paid his tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying he guided the party's journey from its seeding to taking a shape of "banyan tree".

"With his demise, we have lost the pole star of Indian politics. He was a multi-faceted personality. The country has lost a big statesman. It will be impossible for long to fulfil the space which has fallen vacant after his demise.

"First, Jan Sangha and then founding the BJP, throughout his journey from seeding the party to giving it a shape of banyan tree, he guided all the workers," Shah told reporters at party headquarters.

"Be it during fight against the Emergency or raising India's voice for Kashmir or for spreading Hindi's influence or as a balanced leader, he always gave solutions to the country. We, as a BJP workers, will take forward the mission he had taken up," Shah said.

Shah also described Vajpayee as "shikhar purush" (topmost leader) of Indian politics who devoted every "second of his life to the country and the party".

In a blogpost, Shah said Vajpayee was an ideal swayamsevak, a dedicated worker and an effective speaker.

"It is not easy to give every second of your life to the country, the party and its ideology. We have seen Atalji as an ideal swayamsevak, dedicated worker, poet, strong orator and a unique political leader."

Shah said Vajpayee was BJP's founding member, its first president and made the party grow into a banyan tree through his hard work and dedication.

"He emerged as a popular leader who treated power as an instrument of service to people and led a spotless political life without any compromise with national interests. And this is the reason that people gave him love and respect beyond their political and social limitations.

"As the supreme leader of the party born in opposition, he played an exemplary role in Parliament and outside and provided a decisive leadership to the country as prime minister," Shah said.

The BJP President said Vajpayee left an indelible mark on the Indian polity with his thoughts and principles.

"As a swayamsevak dedicated to ideology and as a disciplined worker, his life is an inspiration for us. As a unique politician, an effective speaker, poet, devoted patriot, Bharat Ratna, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death is an irreparable loss to the party and the country.

His thoughts, his poems, his vision, his political sagacity will always inspire us and provide us guidance. I bow before such shikhar purush of Indian politics and pray for peace to his soul," Shah said.

Vajpayee, a founder-member of the BJP and the first non-Congress prime minister to complete a full term in office, died in Delhi on Thursday after prolonged illness. He was 93.

--IANS

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