Motilal Vora was cremated with full state honours in Chhattisgarh (File photo)
Congress stalwart and former chief minister of undivided Madhya Pradesh Motilal Vora was cremated with full state honours on Tuesday in his hometown in Chhattisgarh in the presence of prominent political leaders.
The last rites of the 92-year-old Congress veteran, who died in a Delhi hospital on Monday, were held at around 5 pm at Shivnath Nadi Muktidham, located on the banks of the Shivnath river in Durg, where a large number of political leaders and citizens turned up to pay their respects to the politician.
Motilal Vora's elder son Arvind lit the funeral pyre amid chanting of Vedic mantras.
Chhattisgarh Governor Anusuiya Uikey, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, AICC General Secretary Mukul Wasnik, ex-Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and several other Congress and BJP leaders were among those who reached Durg town to pay tribute to Motilal Vora.
Motilal Vora, a former chief minister of undivided Madhya Pradesh, had also served as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh and held key positions in the Congress during his decades-long political career.
Earlier in the day, the body of Motilal Vora was flown to the state capital Raipur from Delhi and kept in the Chhattisgarh Congress office - Rajiv Bhavan - where party leaders and workers paid homage to him.
Then, his remains were taken to his native town Durg where they were kept at his residence in Padmanabhpur area to enable members of the public to pay homage.
Congress and BJP leaders, and local people lined up to pay tributes to Motilal Vora.
Talking to reporters, Shivraj Chouhan described Motilal Vora as Ajatshatru (one who has no enemies) of politics who was loved and respected by all.
AICC General Secretary Wasnik said at the airport, "On behalf of the Congress party, we have come to pay tribute to Vora ji who dedicated his entire life for the party,"
"Vora ji worked at every level in the organisation and the government. He served as chief minister, governor, a member of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, treasurer and general secretary of the AICC. He was a source of inspiration for everyone and was respected by all," Mr Wasnik said.