Leaders across political spectrum pay homage to Mahajan

Mumbai, May 4 (UNI) Scores of leaders cutting across political spectrum today paid their last respects to senior BJP leader Pramod Mahajan whose body lay in state at his Worli residence here.

The body was brought to the residence at 0815 hrs after it was kept overnight at the party's state office at Nariman point.

Mahajan succumbed to his grievous gunshot injuries yesterday afternoon after battling for life for 12 days.

He was allegedly shot thrice point-blank by his youngest brother Pravin Mahajan inside his 15th apartment in Poorna building on April 22.

All three bullets were retrieved from his body during the 3-hour autopsy at the government-run G T hospital and handed over to ballistic experts of the police for analysis late last night.

Among the first to pay homage were Pramod Mahajan's inconsolable mother Prabhavati and wife Rekha.

Senior BJP leader L K Advani, party president Rajnath Singh, RSS chief K C Sudarshan, NDA convenor George Fernandes, Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Gujarat -- Vilasrao Deshmukh and Narendra Modi respectively, Union Communication Minister Dayanidhi Maran, the Ambani brothers -- Mukesh and Anil, former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar and former Delhi chief minister Sahib Singh Verma were among others who also paid tributes by placing wreaths at his body kept in a silver-coloured casket with a glass panel to enable thousands of Mr Mahajan's admirers to catch a last glimpse of their leader.

BJP leader and Pramod Mahajan's brother-in-law Gopinath Munde could not control his emotions as it was a touching moment when he brought along his grandson to pay obeisance.

Pramod Mahajan's family, including his wife Rekha, son Rahul, daughter Poonam, brother Prakash, and son-in-law Anand Rao, stood by the casket.

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