BJP to immerse ashes of Vajpayee in 13 Maha rivers

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Maharashtra unit has declared that it will immerse the ashes of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 13 rivers across the state. Also a condolence meeting will be held in Mumbai on Wednesday evening.

All state BJP leaders, Union and state government ministers will be present for the meeting, sources revealed.

Finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar addressed a press conference on Tuesday to inform about the decision and activities planned by the state BJP unit and the government.

“An urn containing Atalji’s ashes will arrive in Mumbai on Wednesday by 4 pm. All workers are requested to gather at airport. Later a condolence meeting will be held at National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA),” said Mr Mungantiwar.

Further, similar condolence meetings will be held in all districts of the state to pay homage to the late PM, which will be attended by party leaders from the area, he added.

“State government is also planning to start a school in all universities where students could learn and study the thoughts of Atalji.

Initially, '20 crore have been allocated for this initiative and an official decision will be taken in few days,” the finance minister added.

Meanwhile, the state BJP unit has also decided to publish a coffee table book on Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s Maharashtra memories.

“We have appealed people to send us photos of Atalji to atalsmruti@gmail.com within a month. So that the coffee table book with photos of Atalji in Maharashtra could be launched,” said Mr Mungantiwar.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former prime minister and BJP stalwart, passed away on August 16. He was 93. Vajpayee was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in June. Vajpayee, who had been ailing for long, retreated from active public life over the last decade following the deterioration of his health and remained restricted to his residence.