Atal Behari Vajpayee's ashes immersed in Cauvery
Later, the state BJP will conduct a condolence meeting at Bengaluru on August 26.
Bengaluru: The ashes of former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee were immersed in the Cauvery river at Srirangapatna by senior BJP leaders on Thursday.
Leaders who accompanied the urn containing the ashes included BJP State President B.S. Yeddyurappa, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar, BJP general secretary Shobha Karandlaje, former Deputy CM R. Ashok and others.
Earlier, the urn was kept in the state BJP office at Malleshwaram on Thursday morning and was then taken in a procession to Srirangapatna which covered 130 km before the ashes were immersed in the Cauvery by Mr Yeddyurappa. The urn was brought from Delhi by a special flight on Wednesday.
Thousands of party workers offered floral tribute to the urn which was kept in front of the BJP office to enable the public pay their tribute. The BJP central leadership had taken a decision to take out the 'Asthi Kalasa Yatra' in all states and immerse the ashes in important rivers.
The intention was to enable the public to offer their tribute to Vajpayee, who passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on August 16 after a prolonged illness.
The ashes of Atalji will also be immersed at seven places in the state on August 25 with senior BJP leaders and party MPs conducting the rituals. The party has decided to make it a big event covering 13 districts, Mr Yeddyurappa said. Later, the state BJP will conduct a condolence meeting at Bengaluru on August 26.