Dear Editor,
Atal Bihari Vajpayee is the shining star of Indian politics. Vajpayee is the other name for oratory skill. Pauses during his speech took the audience to edge to hear him. His body language with sense of humour was special attraction of his speech. Vajpayee, L.K. Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi were referred to as trinities. Advani quite often used to visit Vajpayee when amentia had set in, in Vajpayee before his demise on August 16, 2018. Once in Parliament, he said “half of the Congressmen are fools”. Congress members rose from the seat and demanded to withdraw the remarks. “Okay, half of the Congressmen are not fools”, he quipped. The entire Parliament House packed with other party members including Congressmen was burst with laughter. Once Lata Mangeshkar, noted singer, met Vajpayee. Vajpayee said “my name is reversal of your name”. “How”, asked Lata. “Read your name ‘Lata’ from right”, said Vajpayee. Vajpayee was the first to speak in an Indian language (in Hindi) in the UN. Breaking the ranks, all political parties hailed Vajpayee. Next to follow Vajpayee to speak in Hindi in the UN was P.V. Narasihma Rao. \It is Vajpayee who said “friends can be changed but not the neighbour”. “Jai Jawan, jai kisan” was the slogan of Lal Bahadur Shastry. Vajpayee added to it “Jai Vignan”. When Bangladesh was created, Vajpayee called Indira Gandhi “Durgi” in praise of her. Vajpayee was a visionary and a statesman. Politicians think of election. Statesmen think of next generation. He was true to this. Dual membership issue in the Janata Party floated by Jayaprakash Narayan rocked the party leading to the formation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). That was the beginning of the disintegration of Janata Party even though Dr. Subrahmanian Swamy tilled a lonely furrow for some time to keep Janata party alive. Barring BJP, all the constituents of Janata Party have been reduced to the status of a regional party. BJP started with a dull note with only two candidates sent to Lok Sabha. BJP became an object of ridicule. Vajpayee had said “a day will come when BJP would take larger share over all others in the Indian politics”. It has come true. He lived for principled politics. Vajpayee is alive in the hearts of people.
K.V. Seetharamaiah