Vajpayee's ashes reach Kolkata, to be immersed tomorrow

The ashes of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was brought to the city today and will be immersed in various rivers across West Bengal.

The 'asthi kalash' was brought to Kolkata by state BJP president Dilip Ghosh and will be taken to Gangasagar tomorrow where it will be immersed as part of the party's country-wide programme, a party leader said.

Gangasagar is an island off the coast of Bengal where the Ganga river meets the Bay of Bengal.

The contents of the main kalash (urn) will be divided into four other urns. The main urn will be immersed at Gangasagar and the four other urns will be taken to north Bengal, Farakka, Bankura and Nabadwip, he said.

"The people of these areas too want to pay their respects to Vajpayeeji so it will be taken there and immersed in rivers there," Jaiprakash Majumdar, vice-president of West Bengal BJP unit told PTI.

Earlier, West Bengal Governor K N Tripathi offered floral tributes to the urn containing the ashes at the city airport.

Several state unit leaders gathered at the state party office to pay their respects.

A rally will be taken out tomorrow in the morning towards Gangasagar with the urn.

BJP sources said, Union minister Smriti Irani is scheduled to attend the rally from Amtala area in South 24 Parganas district.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leaders handed the urns to party presidents of the states from across the country at a function in Delhi.

The BJP has decided to take out 'asthi kalash yatras' in all districts and immerse the ashes in rivers across the country. Processions will start from the state capitals and will pass through all blocks, party leaders said.