MP Assembly pays tribute to ex-PM Vajpayee and other leaders

The 15th Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly Wednesday paid tributes to former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, ex-Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee and other leaders.

Tributes were also paid to other departed leaders including former members of the state assembly.

The five-day session of the Assembly began January 7. While MLAs took oath on the first day, on the second day election of Speaker was held, followed by address of state Governor Anandiben Patel.

After the proceedings began Wednesday, newly-elected Speaker NP Prajapati mentioned Vajpayee, Chatterjee and 12 other leaders.

Vajpayee, 93, died due to prolonged illness at AIIMS in Delhi on August 16 last year. Chatterjee, 89, breathed his last in Kolkata on August 13.

Recalling his association with Vajpayee, Chief Minister Kamal Nath said the former PM was endeared as a social worker by various sections.

"I have seen him as an MP, a minister and a prime minister. He was not a leader but a social worker who was loved by every section of the society. He was an example in himself who gave a new direction to the country's politics," Nath said.

Nath, a veteran Congress leader, said he learned a lot from Chatterjee, a veteran Communist.

"He was the strict speaker of Lok Sabha. Under him, all (MPs) practiced discipline. Lok Sabha's functioning was very peaceful during his tenure," the chief minister said.

Chatterjee had served as Speaker of the 14th Lok Sabha.

Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava (BJP) hailed Vajpayee as a multi-faceted personality.

Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the BJP patriarch was an able administrator and a BJP leader who took BJP from zero to the top.

"He was a political thinker, a poet, a writer and an orator. There is no such example in the world," he said.

The House also recalled contributions by departed leaders including former Rajya Sabha MP Praful Maheshwari.

Tributes were also paid to former MLAs late Indrajit Kumar, Devi Singh Patel, Ramanand Singh, Dayal Singh, Jugal Kishore Bajaj, Swami Prasad Lodhi, Prabhunarayan Tripathi, Vimal Kumar Chauradia, Anand Kumar Shrivastav, Radhakrishna Bhagat and Kalpana Parulekar.

The House observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect to these leaders before it was adjourned for the day.

The five-day session is scheduled to culminate on January 11.