Nation pay tribute to Shekhawat, Funeral on Sunday at Jaipur

Glowing tributes were paid to Bhairon Singh Shekhawat with President Pratibha Patil recalling his humble beginnings, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declaring the former Vice President as one of the “tallest” leaders and Atal Bihari Vajpayee describing his death as end of an era in Indian politics. According to the family sources, Funeral of former Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat will take place at Jaipur tomorrow (Sunday). His embalmed body will be kept at his bungalow in the civil lines area here to enable people to pay their last respects. The body of 87-year-old will later be taken to the BJP office before cremation at Chandpol ground. As the news of his death this morning spread, leaders from across the political spectrum rushed to his residence to pay their tributes. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who had earlier visited the SMS hospital to meet the ailing leader, said Mr. Shekhawat was one of the rare politicians who had a unique identity.

BJP Parliamentary Party Chairman L.K. Advani, Tamil Nadu Governor S.S. Barnala, Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan, Madhya Pradesh Governor Rameshwar Thakur, Uttarakhand Governor Margaret Alva, Jharkhand Governor M.OH. Farooq, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa, JD(U) President Sharad Yadav, Union Ministers C.P. Joshi and Ghulam Nabi Azad, TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh also condoled his death.