Want To "See Him Give Speech Again": Niece Prays For Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Kanti Mishra broke down while speaking about her uncle Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

As Atal Bihari Vajpayee battles for life at Delhi's AIIMS and a stream of political leaders queue up to see him with prayers and wishes for his speedy recovery, the former Prime Minister's niece hangs onto one ardent wish: To see him give a speech again.

One of the tallest leaders of the BJP, Mr Vajpayee has been admitted to the hospital on June 11 with a kidney tract infection and chest congestion.  

A statement from AIIMS this morning said, "Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition continues to remain the same. He is critical and on life support systems".

While talking to reporters in Delhi, Kanti Mishra broke down. "I have been praying to god that just once I can see him give a speech again. Our family can never ever erase that image of his from our minds. I hope he gets well soon," she said.

A dazzling orator and poet, Mr Vajpayee's words are still oft quoted. Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, invoked Mr Vajpayee's roadmap on Kashmir: "Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, jamhooriyat".

Atal Bihari Vajpayee had headed governments thrice -- for 13 days in 1996, 13 months in 1998 and for almost six years from 1999. (File)

In an article "Atalji-The Gentle Giant" posted on the Bharatiya Janata Party website on the eve of Vajpayee's 90th birthday, Union minister Arun Jaitley said Mr Vajpayee was " unquestionably the greatest orator India has heard, since Independence".

"He could play with words but he was always measured. He was a wordsmith. He never fell into temptation of committing an impropriety. He realized virtues of social harmony. His ability to rise above the party for a larger national cause was significant."

Last evening, PM Modi visited Mr Vajpayee - his fourth visit since the BJP patriarch was admitted to AIIMS on June 11. Since this morning, BJP chief Amit Shah and Union ministers Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda and Venkaiah Naidu and several other leaders have visited Mr Vajpayee.

LK Advani, whom Mr Vajpayee counts among his closest colleagues, and his home minister in the NDA government from 1998 to 2004, also visited the veteran leader along with his daughter Pratibha Advani.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee had headed governments thrice -- for 13 days in 1996, 13 months in 1998 and for almost six years from 1999. His was the first non-Congress government to last for a full five-year term in office.