Modi visits Vajpayee on his birthday
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday visited former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence and greeted him on his 90th birthday and on being conferred with the Bharat Ratna.
Vajpayee, along with late freedom fighter-educationist Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, was Wednesday named for India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna. Both of them share their birthday Dec 25.
In the morning, Modi took to Twitter and said there is no bigger tribute to Vajpayee than celebrating his birthday as 'Good Governance Day'.
"There is no bigger tribute to Atal ji than celebrating his birthday as 'Good Governance Day' and pledging to devote ourselves to this cause," Modi tweeted.
"Development and good governance are the only ways ahead. Together, let us make a positive impact in people's lives and create a developed India," said another tweet by Modi.
President Pranab Mukherjee also greeted Vajpayee on his birthday.
"Warm greetings and good wishes to A.B. Vajpayee on his birthday; may the almighty bless him with happiness and good health," tweeted the president.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also wished Vajpayee "good health and longevity".
"He is an inspirational force for good governance in India," Jaitley tweeted.
Vajpayee, a veteran leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as its forerunner Bharatiya Jana Sangh, served as prime minister first for 13 days in 1996 and then from 1998 to 2004.