Vajpayee's mortal remains taken to BJP headquarters

The mortal remains of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was on Friday taken to BJP headquarters here from his official residence as hundreds poured in to pay their last respects to the departed leader.

Vajpayee (93) breathed his last on Thursday evening in AIIMS here where he was admitted since June 11. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah arrived at the BJP headquarters.

Hundreds of people poured into the 6A-Krishna Menon Marg residence of Vajpayee where his body was kept since Thursday evening. On Friday morning, before the mortal remains were taken to the BJP office on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, several people paid their respects to Vajpayee.

Vajpayee will be cremated at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal at around 4 PM. The final journey from the BJP HQ is expected to start at 1 PM.

The body was taken to the BJP HQ in a flower-decked military vehicle and accompanied by military personnel. A large number of people walked from Vajpayee's residence to the BJP office, where thousands have assembled to have a last glimpse of their leader.

Meanwhile, government sources said there are plans to construct a memorial for Vajpayee near Raj Ghat.

In her condolence message, former Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said he was a man of "unbounded eloquence, perspicacity and a profound understanding of statecraft, history and human behaviour". Rao was the government spokesperson during 2001-02 when Vajpayee was the Prime Minister.

"His humour and zest for life made him one of the most endearing of human beings I have ever met," she said adding the poet in him never gave up on his dream for peace in our region.