Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tributes to Morarji Desai on his birth anniversary

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to former prime minister Morarji Desai on his birth anniversary on Thursday, lauding him as a stalwart of Indian politics and a beacon of integrity and simplicity.

In a post on X, Modi shared an audio clip from a Mann Ki Baat episode in which he had highlighted Desai's contributions, including his commitment to probity and discipline as well as his role in undoing the excesses of the Emergency as prime minister after Indira Gandhi was ousted from power in 1977.

Modi said, "Tributes to Shri Morarjibhai Desai on his birth anniversary. A stalwart of Indian politics and a beacon of integrity and simplicity, he served our nation with immense dedication."

Born in 1896 in Gujarat, then part of the Bombay Presidency, Desai holds the distinction of presenting the maximum number of budgets as the Union finance minister. He had served in various capacities in state and central governments before becoming the prime minister.

Desai, a Congress leader, was part of the faction opposed to Indira Gandhi when the party split in 1969. His faction merged with other opposition parties to form the Janata Party which defeated Indira Gandhi in 1977.