Have special respect for him: Nitish Kumar on birth anniversary of ex-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Patna, Bihar: Janata Dal (United) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday paid tributes to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 99th birth anniversary at Atal Park in Patna, and said that he holds immense respect for the latter. 

“I have a special respect for Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” said the Bihar Chief Minister. 

“Today is the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Ever since I have been an MP, I have known him. When his government was formed, he gave me the responsibility of three departments and greatly respected me,” he added. 

Kumar served as Union Minister of Railways for two terms between 1998-1999 and 2001-2004, in the cabinet of Vajpayee. As Union Minister of Agriculture, he discharged duties between 1999-2000 and 2000-2001. In Vajpayee's cabinet, he also took charge as Union Minister of Surface Transport in 1999.

Tributes pour in for Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid his floral tributes to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the ‘Sadaiv Atal’ memorial, on his 99th birth anniversary.

President Draupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and several other dignitaries paid their floral tributes to Vajpayee on his birth anniversary.

Apart from PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid tribute to Vajpayee. In a post on X, he wrote, "I remember and salute former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji on his birth anniversary. Atal ji served the country and society selflessly and gave a new direction to nationalist politics in the country through the establishment of the BJP."

December 25 marks the birth anniversary of the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, an ex-Prime Minister and a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).