Amarinder Singh on Thursday mourned the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, describing him as a towering personality who would always remain a beacon to inspire the young politicians to tread the path of value-based politics.
The state government has also declared mourning in his memory on the lines of the central government.
In his condolence message, the Chief Minister said: "Atal ji was a multifaceted personality and a fine human being with the qualities of the head and heart."
Amarinder Singh termed him as a "true statesman, a great scholar, an eminent poet besides a heartthrob of millions of countrymen".
Recalling his personal ties with Vajpayee, the Chief Minister said "as Prime Minister Atal-ji had extremely cordial and warm relations with all the Chief Ministers irrespective of their party affiliations and treated them equally without any prejudice of regionalism".
Vajpayee, 93, a moderate face in saffron politics and the first non-Congress prime minister to complete a full term in office, died in New Delhi on Thursday after a prolonged illness.
--IANS
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