Top BJP leaders and other dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, greeted former deputy prime minister, BJP's longest-serving president and the “main architect” of the party’s Rs Hindutva politicsRs - L K Advani- who turned 94 on Monday.
Advani, who is healthy and quite fit for his age, attended the BJP National Executive meeting here online on Sunday .
"Birthday greetings to respected Advani Ji. Praying for his long and healthy life. The nation remains indebted to him for his numerous efforts towards empowering people and enhancing our cultural pride. He is also widely respected for his scholarly pursuits and rich intellect," Modi tweeted.
The PM, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, and BJP president J P Nadda visited Advani's residence to greet him in person.
Advani has penned many books including a large autobiographical volume ‘My Country: My Life’ and ‘A-Prisoner’s scrap -Book ‘, giving account of his imprisonment during the emergency days.
Modi has been personally extending birthday greetings to the party patriarch and mentor to a generation of BJP leaders, with a visit to his residence since he became prime minister in 2014.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised Advani as an inspiration and guide, and said he is counted among those most respected leaders whose scholarship, foresight and intellect are acknowledged by everyone.
Lauding him, Shah said he spread the party's ideology among the masses and gave a pan India shape to its organisation.Nadda praised the veteran leader for taking the party to the masses and playing a key role in the country's development. While wishing him a long and healthy life, he said the nonagenarian leader was an inspiration to crores of party workers.