Vajpayee was a man of principle and idealistic poet: Odisha CM

Bhubaneswar: Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a man of principle and an idealistic poet, said Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at a programme here today.

Attending the all-party and public prayer meeting organised in memory of late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at IDCO Exhibition Ground at Unit 3 in Bhubaneswar, Patnaik hailed the charismatic leader for his immense contribution to the democracy in independent India.

He said that Vajpayee’s departure will remain a great loss for the country as well as for himself.

Leaders cutting across the party lines including Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra, OPCC President Niranjan Patnaik, minister Surjya Narayan Patro and Rajya Sabha MP Prasanna Acharya and other BJP leaders including Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan attended the programme this evening.

Union Minister Jual Oram and BJP State vice president Samir Mohanty met CM Patnaik yesterday at Naveen Niwas and invited him to attend Vajpayee’s memorial service.

The ‘asthi kalash’ of BJP patriarch was immersed in Mahodadhi (sea) on Thursday evening in Puri. The urn carrying ashes was taken to Puri for immersion in a grand procession attended by the BJP leaders including State party president Basant Panda and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.