Vajpayee showed art of managing coalition government: Naveen

Bhubaneswar : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday said former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee showed to the world the art of managing a coalition government.

"Vajpayee was an astute leader who showed to the world the art of managing a coalition government with its myriad diversities," said the Chief Minister while attending a prayer meeting for the late Prime Minister here.

An all-party prayer meeting was organised in the memory of late Prime Minister at IDCO Exhibition Ground here.

Patnaik hailed the charismatic leader for his immense contribution to the democracy in Independent India.

He said that Vajpayee's departure will remain a great loss for the country as well as for him.

"I will always cherish my association with late Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji, especially as it was during my initial years in public life. He embodied a unique combination of grace, idealism and tolerance in politics," said the Chief Minister.

He said Vajpayee had a large heart with a special corner for Odisha-love that is equally reciprocated by the people of the state.

Leaders cutting across the party lines, including Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram, Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Narasingha Mishra, Odisha Pradesh Committee chief Niranjan Patnaik, several other ministers and senior leaders of different political parties attended the prayer meeting.

The "asthi kalash" of Vajpayee was immersed in Mahodadhi (sea) on Thursday in Puri.