Pawar, Fadnavis hail Vajpayee as great parliamentarian, leader

NCP president Sharad Pawar hailed former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as one of India's greatest parliamentarians, while Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he was a great leader as politicians from across the spectrum condoled the BJP stalwart's death.

Prominent political leaders cutting across party lines were effusive in their praise of Vajpayee and said his death has caused an "irreparable loss" to the country.

"With the sad demise of Bharatratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, we have lost a great soul, an eloquent poet, orator par excellence, an excellent human being and one of the greatest Parliamentarians of India," Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party chief, said on Twitter.

Pawar said Vajpayee's demise was a "personal loss" for him given the two had spent "numerous" years together in parliamentary life.

"I pray eternal peace for his departed soul," the former Union minister said on the micro-blogging site.

Fadnavis expressed similar sentiments.

"It is my personal loss.. One of the greatest leaders ever, Atalji, is no more!" he said on Twitter.

Fadnavis hailed Vajpayee, saying the latter taught leaders like him to serve the last man with the "weapon of democracy".

"We are in deep pain by the demise of the Former and one of the best Prime Ministers of India, an ocean of knowledge, an excellent orator, a great humanitarian and everyones idol, #AtalBihariVajpayee ji!" Fadnavis said.

The chief minister also posted a poem and picture from his childhood along with the BJP veteran as he paid respects to the late leader.

Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan described the BJP stalwart as the "paragon of high moral values" in public life.

"My deepest condolences to his loved ones and his followers. #AtalBihariVajpayee," Chavan tweeted.

Former Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar described Vajpayee as a leader who followed principles and had faith in the parliamentary democracy.

"His oratory skill was unique. There cannot be another orator, leader and human being like him," Ajit Pawar said.

Maharashtra education minister Vinod Tawde said though the country will mourn the loss of a "great leader, extraordinary orator and an exceptional visionary" in Vajpayee, the latter's voice of conviction will continue to live on in each of the BJP's workers.

"Today, though India mourns the loss of a great leader, extraordinary orator and an exceptional visionary. #AtalBihariVaajpayee ji and his voice of conviction, will continue to live on in each of us, strengthening our morale in the service of our great nation. RIP, Atal ji!" Tawde tweeted.

Maharashtra BJP chief Raosaheb Danve said Vajpayee and another BJP stalwart, L K Advani, built the saffron party with tremendous hard work.

Danve recalled Vajpayee's famous lines: "Andhera chatega, suraj niklega, kamal khilega" (Sun will rise, darkness will fade and Lotus (the BJP's poll symbol) will bloom," which he had said in 1980 when the BJP's Mumbai unit was established.

"Atal ji, along with L K Advani, built the party with tremendous hardwork. Today, the BJP is the No. 1 party in the country credit for which largely goes to Atal ji," Danve said.

Vajpayee died at the AIIMS hospital in New Delhi this evening at the age of 93 after a prolonged illness.