AB Vajpayee passes away

Three-time Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee died yesterday, sparking tributes from across the political spectrum as current leader Narendra Modi mourned the "irreplaceable loss" of the respected statesman.

The 93-year-old had battled poor health for years but his condition deteriorated sharply in recent days, with doctors placing him on life support.

India has announced a seven-day mourning throughout the country and state funeral for the former prime minister. Governments in Delhi, Punjab and Uttarakhand have announced a holiday today as a mark of respect to Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

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Vajpayee: Poet-politician who led Indian politics like a giant

he sudden turn sparked a flurry of visits from top dignitaries, including Modi, who credited Vajpayee with laying the foundations for the meteoric rise of the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that rules India today.

"Atal Ji's passing away is a personal and irreplaceable loss for me," Modi said in a tweet Thursday, using a Hindi-language honorific.

"It was Atal Ji's exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century.

"It was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atal Ji that the BJP was built brick by brick."

Vajpayee was being treated at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, where he was admitted nine weeks ago.

"Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems. Despite the best efforts, we have lost him today," AIIMS said in a statement.

"We join the nation in deeply mourning this great loss."

The former journalist and poet-turned-politician was one of the few opposition lawmakers inside parliament when India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, still held office.

His more than five-decade-long career peaked in the 1990s, when his masterful oratory attracted tens of thousands of people to his rallies across the country.

He also became the first non-Congress leader since India's independence in 1947 to complete an entire term in office as head of a BJP-led ruling alliance between March 1998 and May 2004.

Vajpayee's often conciliatory tone, and poetic jibes directed at opponents, were popular on both sides of the political divide.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said millions "loved and respected" the political icon.

"Today India lost a great son. We will miss him," Gandhi posted on Twitter.

Many top ministers in cabinet today -- including Modi -- were proteges to Vajpayee and his deputy Lal Krishna Advani.

Many paid solemn visits to the ailing Vajpayee in his final moments yesterday, including Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

"In Atalji's demise the nation has lost a stalwart who was known for statesmanship and astute leadership. It is also a huge personal loss to me," Singh posted on Twitter.

Vajpayee's government helped ramp up tensions in South Asia by testing atomic weapons in 1998, which prompted tit-for-tat tests by arch-rival Pakistan and sparked concerns about a nuclear conflict in the region.

Months later, in early 1999, he embarked on a historic bus ride to the Pakistani city of Lahore and met then-premier Nawaz Sharif in a bid to ease tensions.

But his peacemaker image was shattered later that year when Pakistan-backed forces pressed over the disputed Kashmir border, sparking a deadly conflict.

He withdrew from the public eye after a BJP-led alliance suffered a shock election defeat in 2004.

He had since rarely been seen or heard in public. It was widely reported that he suffered a stroke in 2009, which largely confined him to his New Delhi residence.

He continues to enjoy devotion in many parts of the country, especially in key bellwether Hindu-heartland states in north and central India.

"It was Atal Ji's exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century. His futuristic policies across various sectors touched the lives of each and every citizen of India," Modi said.

"Atal Ji's passing away is a personal and irreplaceable loss for me. I have countless fond memories with him. He was an inspiration to Karyakartas like me. I will particularly remember his sharp intellect and outstanding wit."

"It was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atal Ji that the BJP was built brick by brick. He travelled across the length and breadth of India to spread the BJP's message, which led to the BJP becoming a strong force in our national polity and in several states," Modi tweeted.