Key Takeaways:
- Union minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu hailed Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s belief that politics is about serving people, not seeking power, urging youth to follow that example.
- Rammohan Naidu highlighted Vajpayee’s firm stance during India’s nuclear tests and his efforts to boost regional development and India’s space programmes.
- The minister recalled Vajpayee’s partnership with N. Chandrababu Naidu on infrastructure and IT initiatives and announced a statue unveiling in Amaravati.
- The remarks underlined a continuing legacy of public service and governance that the BJP sought to showcase at the Bhimavaram rally.
Hyderabad — Union minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu paid tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the BJP’s Atal–Modi Suparipalana Yatra rally in Bhimavaram, West Godavari district, on Sunday, describing Vajpayee as a leader who proved politics is about service, not power.
Vajpayee politics service at centre of appeal to youth
Addressing a large gathering, Rammohan Naidu urged young people to adopt Vajpayee’s values, saying that the former prime minister demonstrated that public office should be used to serve citizens with dedication. He said good governance is possible when political actors cooperate for the common good rather than pursue power for its own sake.
The minister recalled Vajpayee’s decisive leadership during the nuclear tests, noting he stood firm in asserting India’s sovereign right to make independent strategic choices despite pressure from major global powers. Rammohan Naidu presented this episode as evidence of Vajpayee’s resolve and strategic judgment.
Rammohan Naidu also drew attention to Vajpayee’s emphasis on balanced regional development. He cited the creation of a separate ministry to bring the northeastern states closer to national averages in terms of infrastructure and services. He added that many of the policies introduced under Vajpayee’s government laid groundwork for long-term projects, including India’s space programmes such as Chandrayaan.
The minister recalled the close working relationship between Vajpayee and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. He pointed to collaborative decisions on road infrastructure and information technology that, he said, contributed to economic growth and job creation in the region.
Rammohan Naidu announced that the chief minister will unveil a statue of Vajpayee in Amaravati on 25 December to mark the former prime minister’s 101st birth anniversary. The announcement formed a ceremonial highlight of the Bhimavaram rally, which drew state and national leadership including union minister Srinivasa Varma and BJP state president D. Purandeswari.
Party organisers presented the event as part of a broader effort to remind voters of the BJP’s claims about governance and public service. Speakers framed Vajpayee’s tenure as an era in which national dignity, regional inclusion and technological ambition advanced together.
Those in attendance heard calls for the youth to adopt a public-service mindset. Rammohan Naidu’s speech insisted that politics should be judged by the results delivered to citizens, citing development projects and strategic decisions as examples of governance that served national interest.
Observers note that the event combined commemoration with contemporary political messaging. By foregrounding Vajpayee’s record on national security, regional development and scientific endeavour, the BJP sought to connect past accomplishments to its present policy narrative.
The Amaravati statue unveiling will be a formal tribute. For supporters, the ceremony will reaffirm a legacy of service and the party’s claim that development and governance, rather than pursuit of power, should define politics.
