Vajpayee Is My Eternal Inspiration: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Vijayawada: Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on Thursday hailed former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a statesman who prioritized democratic values and national sovereignty above all else.

Leading the birth anniversary celebrations of Vajpayee at Venkatapalem in Thullur mandal in Amaravati, Chouhan, alongside chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, unveiled a 15-foot bronze statue of the late leader.

The Union minister announced that the site would be transformed into the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Smriti Vanam, a landmark memorial for the capital region.

Addressing a massive gathering on the occasion of Good Governance Day, Chouhan recalled Vajpayee’s grit during the Pokhran nuclear tests. "Atal was a leader who never bowed before anyone. Even when the US imposed sanctions, he remained undeterred, proving that India's security was non-negotiable," he said.

Chouhan, who also holds the rural development portfolio, credited the ex-PM for pioneering rural transformation through the Golden Quadrilateral and various welfare schemes that bridged the urban-rural divide.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu were now steering the vision of Viksit Bharat. “Just as Naidu made Hyderabad the IT capital, he is now designing the Quantum Valley for Andhra Pradesh. The Center will provide total support to ensure the state’s transforms into 'Ananda Andhra Pradesh'," the Union minister said.

The event also saw the release of a special commemorative postal stamp in honour of Vajpayee. Union MoS for communications, Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, noted that Vajpayee was a leader "with power sans ego," recalling how the late PM sought Naidu’s advice during the telecom revolution.

Union minister of state for heavy industries Bhupatiraju Srinivas Verma and state BJP president PVN Madhav emphasized the need to carry forward Vajpayee's philosophy of serving even the "last person in the queue.

The ceremony was attended by ministers P Narayana, Kandula Durgesh, Satya Kumar Yadav and several MPs and MLAs. Guntur collector Thamim Ansariya was also present.