Patna: The state BJP on Monday marked former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birthday as "Good Governance Day".

The party distributed sweets and stationery items among slum children at shakti kendras (panchayat level) and also carried out cleanliness drives under the Swachh Bharat plan.

In Patna, too, a large number of BJP cadres participated in events to mark the day. At Budh Murti Kadamkaun, Bankipore BJP MLA Nitin Navin and party leaders Davesh Kumar and Sitaram Pandey carried out Swachata Abhiyan at Budh Murti and then distributed sweets and stationery items among slum children.

A similar programme was held in S.K. Puri area where the party's Digha MLA, Sanjeev Chaurasiya, and party leader Arvind Singh and others carried out Swachata Abhiyan and distributed sweets and clothes among slum children. The BJP's Mahila Morcha members, too, organised several programmes, planting saplings at the BJP party office.

In the afternoon, state BJP leaders, including agriculture minister Prem Kumar, BJP organisational secretary Nagendra Ji and party former MLC Harendra Pratap, attended a function at the state party office. "The tenure of Vajpayee ji as Prime Minister is remembered as the golden era as it was during his tenure that the country's development pace gained momentum," Prem said.

He highlighted Vajpayee's contribution in construction of the Golden Quadrilateral, nuclear test, and his vision of linking of rivers.

BJP MLC Harendra Pratap said: "Vajpayee was not only a good Prime Minister but also an extraordinary diplomat as external affairs minister." The three-day Good Governance Day began on December 24.

On December 23, 2014, the government honoured Vajpayee, and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (posthumously) with the Bharat Ratna. It also announced that Vajpayee's birthday would be henceforth be commemorated annually as Good Governance Day. The idea was to honour Vajpayee by creating awareness among people about the government's commitment to providing a transparent and accountable administration.