Chouhan wishes long life for Atal Bihari Vajpayee; calls him a great visionary

BHOPAL: Describing former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a "great visionary and orator," Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Bhopal said that despite being in BJP, politicians across the divide admire him equally.

"Atalji was not only a great visionary, but also a great orator and politicians and people across the country admire him equally," Chouhan said at a programme at the party head quarter to wish the former Prime Minister long life on the occasion of his birthday.

BJP observes the veteran leader's birthday as "Sushashan Diwas" (Good Governance Day).

"It was Atalji who never felt shy of speaking in Hindi and even addressed the United Nations General Assembly in chaste Hindi to impress all," he said.

He was a visionary and because of that only he went for Pokhran nuclear explosion soon after becoming Prime Minister without fearing about international sanctions to make India strong in the eyes of the world.

Chouhan also informed that he will be leaving for New Delhi soon after the programme to wish him long life on behalf 7.5 crore people of the state to which he belongs.

Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924 at Gwalior and did his schooling from Government Higher Secondary School, Gorkhi in his hometown.

He was first elected as a Lok Sabha member from Balrampur in 1957 and also represented Vidisha parliamentary constituency in 1991.