NEW DELHI: An astute politician known for his great oratory skills, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee won the hearts of many across the political spectrum with his wit and sobriety and was by far one of the most respected leaders in the country's history.
Vajpayee enjoyed a good rapport with leaders of different political leanings including Chandrashekhar, Sonia Gandhi, Narasimha Rao, Pranab Mukherjee, Sharad Pawar, and Left stalwarts like Harkishen Singh Surjit, A B Bardhan and former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.
Though his government collapsed first after 13 days and then again after 13 months, his pragmatic approach attracted many allies towards the BJP which was earlier considered as "untouchable" especially after the Babri Masjid demotion.
During a debate on trust vote in Parliament, opposition leaders had said that Vajpayee was a good leader but in the wrong party.
He responded by saying, "Vajpayee to achha hai, par party theek nahi hai. Toh achche Vajpayee ka kya karne ka iraada rakhte hain. (You say that Vajpayee is good, but his party is not. Then what do you intend to do with the good Vajpayee)
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government that he ran in 1998 enjoyed the support of a large number of political parties and leaders like Jayalalithaa and Mamata Banerjee.
In his 13-month NDA government in 1998, he had the support of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Samata Party, Biju Janata Dal, Shiromani Akali Dal, Nationalist Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Lok Shakti, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhhagam, Haryana Vikas Party, Janata Party, Mizo National Front, NTR TDP(LP).
In 1999, the NDA government, which was the only non-Congress government to have lasted its full term, had the suppport of Janata Dal United, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Samata Party, Biju Janata Dal, Shiromani Akali Dal, Nationalist Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Lok Shakti, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhhagam, Haryana Vikas Party, Indian National Lok Dal and Mizo National Front, Sikkim Democratic Front, Manipur State Congress Party.
The Telugu Desam Party extended external support.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh described Vajpayee as a great patriot and among modern India's tallest leaders who spent his whole life serving the country.
He also described him as a great prime minister and an outstanding parliamentarian, besides being an excellent orator.
"His ability and personality were such that people from all walks of life, irrespective of their political leanings, loved and respected Shri Vajpayee ji," he said today.
Sonia Gandhi said Vajpayee was a "towering figure" who stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts.
"His warm personality and his gift of friendship won him admirers and friends across the political spectrum and from every walk of life," she said.
He was a spell-binding orator, a leader of great vision, a patriot to the core for whom the national interest was paramount.
But above all, he was a man with a very large heart and a real spirit of magnanimity, she said.
One saw that in all his interactions -- with other political parties and their leaders, with foreign governments, with coalition partners, and indeed with his own political colleagues, whom he always treated with respect and courtesy, the former Congress president said.
Former President Pranab Mukherjee said Vajpayee was a reasoned critique in the opposition, who dominated the space like a titan, and a seeker of consensus as prime minister.
"A democrat to the core, Atalji dominated the opposition space like a titan and led the government with aplomb. An inheritor and practitioner of the best traditions and qualities of leadership," he said.
One of his associates, who worked closely with Vajpayee said, "he was affable and shared very personal relations with opposition leaders".
He also said that the former prime minister shared an excellent rapport with leaders of various parties, who despite being his political adversaries, liked and admired him.
Once when the opposition wrote a letter bearing Vajpayee's signature to Speaker Somnath Chatterjee raising objections over his "bias" towards, Chatterjee, who shared a good rapport with the BJP leader, expressed his pain and sadness but Vajpayee said he had his "party compulsions".
When Chatterjee asked what were his "party compulsions", Vajpayee retorted that he will invite him to his residence along with BJP allies after which he would understand his situation better.