Date:26/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/26/stories/2007122653611200.htm

National

Vajpayee celebrates 84th birthday

Staff Reporter

— Photo: PTI

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh greets the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on his 84th birthday in New Delhi on Tuesday.

NEW DELHI: A large number of well-wishers and political leaders lined up outside the 6A Krishna Menon Marg residence of the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to wish him on his 84th birthday on Tuesday.

Among the first to call on Mr. Vajpayee in the morning were Prime Minister Manmohan Singh followed by senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders including Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and V.K. Malhotra. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje Scindia and Uttarakhand Chief Minister B.C. Khanduri also visited the former Prime Minister.

With President Pratibha Patil out of station, representatives from Rashtrapati Bhavan greeted Mr. Vajpayee at his residence.

Hundreds of party workers carrying bouquets and sweets from different States also arrived in the morning to wish Mr. Vajpayee. Gifts brought by his supporters included an 84-foot-long letter, a garland weighing around 52 kg, portraits of Vajpayee and hand-made show-pieces.

Mr. Vajpayee spent the first half of the day receiving greetings.

The road outside his house bustled with hordes of mediapersons jostling for space to get a closer look at the VIPs and senior leaders.

The former Cabinet Minister, Shahnawaz Hussain, who was present on the occasion, said: “Vajpayeeji has played a very important role in my life. I hold the record of being the youngest Cabinet Minister only because Vajpayeeji trusted me to hold such a post. The party has already presented Vajpayeeji with the best birthday present in the form of a win in the Gujarat Assembly elections and hopefully the same result would be emulated in the Himachal Assembly elections.”

“I hope that next year, the whole country will be celebrating his birthday in the form of a victory in the national elections. He was, is and will always remain a nationalist leader in the country even if he is not projected as the Prime Ministerial candidate in the next elections,” he added.