All-party condolence meet recalls Pramod Mahajan's contributions

Mumbai, May 9 (UNI) Cutting across party lines, political leaders paid rich tributes to late Pramod Mahajan at a condolence meeting here today.

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar described him as a leader who had scaled heights due to his own efforts. Mr Pawar recalled that the late BJP leader had maintained a personal rapport with leaders of all the political parties.

Mr Pawar said Mr Mahajan never compromised on his party policies but was ever ready to hold dialogues with all political leaders.

Mr Mahajan had proved his capabilities in both the Houses of the Parliament as well as a minister, he said.

Shiv Sena leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi recalled Mr Mahajan's ever helping nature. He recalled how Mr Mahajan had endeavoured to protect the MPs during the terrorist attack on the Parliament. Mr Mahajan was the main architect of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, Mr Joshi pointed out.

Former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, recalling his association with Mr Mahajan, narrated how the latter had courted arrest before the Bihar police when they arrested him (Mr Advani) after halting the Rathyatra at Samastipur. ''The Party had always gave him tough jobs but he accepted them as a challenge,'' Mr Advani remarked.

BJP president Rajnath Singh described Mr Mahajan as a statesman and said the void created by his demise would never be filled.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh recalled Mr Mahajan's good relationships with all parties.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray described Mr Mahajan as one of the two life lines of Maharashtra in New Delhi. He referred to Mr Pawar as the second life line. That life line is now broken, he remarked. Mr Gopinath Munde, Mr Mahajan's brother-in-law, said he had joined the BJP because of Pramod Mahajan.

Peasants and Workers Party leader Jayant Patil, RPI MP Ramdas Athavale, BRP leader Prakash Ambedkar and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (Western Region) sanghchalak Dr Ashok Kukde also spoke on the occasion. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechuri, who was to attend the condolence meeting, failed to get a flight from Agartala. However, he phoned and conveyed his condolences.

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