BJP bids farewell to Mahajan

     Mumbai: A major chapter in BJP history came to an end on Thursday afternoon as grieving family members, BJP leaders and workers converged at the Shivaji Park crematorium in Mumbai to bid a tearful farewell to visionary leader Pramod Mahajan, who died on Wednesday from multiple organ failure, twelve days after being shot by his younger brother, Pravin Mahajan. A contingent of the Maharashtra Police fired three rounds of ammunition in air and sounded the Last Post, as Mahajan's son, Rahul lit the funeral pyre amid slogans and religious hymns. Earlier, all roads leading out of Mahajan's Worli apartment residence were jampacked with people, as they escorted the hearse carrying Mahajan's tricolour-draped wooden coffin to the crematorium located a kilometre and half away. The sombre mood was there for all to see, as people, irrespective of political affiliations or religious boundaries, poured out their feelings for the departed leader.

      Apart from family members, business honchos like Naresh Goyal, Mukesh and Anil Ambani and film personalties like Hema Malini and Ritish Deshmukh, joined politicians in paying floral tribute to Mahajan, seen as an emerging icon for the youth of the country before his tragic demise. At the crematorium, senior BJP leaders L.K.Advani, Rajnath Singh, M.Venkaiah Naidu, Yashwant Sinha, besides former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, remained seated in front of the funeral pyre as the coffin was brought in and placed on it. Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Janta Dal (U) leader George Fernandes, Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vilas Rao Deshmukh, Gopinath Munde, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, RSS chief K Sudershan and senior BJP leader Vijay Goel were also present at the venue. A wave of numbness prevailed all around as politicians cutting across party affiliations placed floral wreaths before the coffin. A grim Rahul Mahajan, Pramod's son, and the late leader's brother-in-law and former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde solemnly accepted the condolences of various dignitaries. Mahajan's mother, who clung to the coffin before its departure from the residence, cried profusely and then fainted unable to fathom the loss of her eldest son in such tragic circumstances. Advani termed Mahajan's death as an irreparable loss. "At this age and a person of his capability is no doubt an irreparable loss to our party," Advani told reporters. Mahajan, a key backroom manager of the BJP, was regarded as close to both its top leaders, former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and former deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani and a possible future head of the Hindu nationalist party.

Back to Headlines                  Go To Top