Union ministers, including Amit Shah and J P Nadda, besides BJP allies such as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Union ministers Lalan Singh of the JD(U) and Jitam Ram Manjhi of HAM(S) paid homage to the BJP stalwart at 'Sadaiv Atal'

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla besides the members of Vajpayee's adopted family were also present

PM Modi said in a post on X that the impact of how Vajpayee preserved constitutional values and gave new direction and momentum to the country will remain forever

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the architect of India's transition into the 21st century and said the BJP stalwart ushered in reforms that set the stage for India's economic surge, abandoning an economic philosophy which encouraged cronyism and stagnation

In an article which appeared in several newspapers on the 100th birth anniversary of Vajpayee, PM Modi said he spent his long parliamentary tenure largely in the opposition benches but never carried any trace of bitterness even though the Congress stooped to new lows by going to the extent of calling him a "traitor"

PM Modi said, "He stands tall as a statesman who continues to inspire countless people"

The prime minister said Vajpayee provided stable and effective governance at a time when people were getting impatient and sceptical about the government's ability to deliver due to the political instability of the 90s when four Lok Sabha polls were held in about nine years

Coming from humble roots, Vajpayee realised the struggles of the common citizen and the transformative power of effective governance, PM Modi said, adding that the long-term impact of his leadership is visible in several sectors

His era marked a gigantic leap in the world of information technology, telecom and communications, he said