Bhubaneswar: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday attended a memorial meeting convened by the BJP to pay homage to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the city.
Naveen's participation in the meeting, following speculation that he may abstain given the BJD's adversarial relations with the BJP, has evoked a big "thank you" from the saffron party leaders. "We thank the chief minister for accepting our invitation," said BJP MLA Pradeep Purohit as Naveen arrived at the venue, Exhibition Ground, to a warm reception from senior party leaders, including Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram.
Though Purohit said he expected Naveen to turn up given the stature of the former Prime Minister, whose appeal cut across the political spectrum, sources said no one was certain about Naveen's participation till his office confirmed it late Thursday evening.
Sources in the BJD said what helped Naveen make up his mind was the solemnity of the occasion and his personal connection with the former Prime Minister, under whom he had served as minister for steel and mines from March 1998 to March 2000 till he assumed office as the Odisha chief minister. The fact that Vajpayee was acceptable to all parties because of the flexible nature of his politics also helped.
Sources in the BJD described the chief minister's decision as the right tactical move. "He has proved himself to be a gracious leader. This was a different kind of occasion. I remember former chief minister J.B. Patnaik, though a Congress stalwart, had paid homage to Biju Patnaik on his death," said BJD Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya.
BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra said the chief minister always rose above politics in such matters. "Besides, he treated Vajpayee as an inspiration and a mentor," said Patra.
Naveen, himself, struck the right notes while addressing the all-party gathering at the Exhibition Ground.
While he described Vajpayee's demise as a national loss as well as a personal loss for him, Naveen said he would always cherish his relations with the departed leader, whom he described as a unique combination of idealism and tolerance.
The chief minister, who recalled having taken his first baby steps in politics under Vajpayee, used epithets such as "statesman" and a "man of strong principles" while paying homage to the former Prime Minister, who, in his opinion, taught to the rest of the world the art of managing a coalition. Describing Vajpayee's death as the end of era, Naveen recalled the former Prime Minister's love for Odisha. "He was a man with a large heart with a special corner for the state," said the Odisha chief minister.
While leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra described Vajpayee as " ajatshatru" (a man without enemies), who was also a great orator, Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik said he was a humanist, who understood the diverse complexities of India.