Online Desk: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid tributes to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 99th birth anniversary, saying he worked to speed up the country’s development all his life.

Modi, along with President Droupadi Murmu, her predecessor Ram Nath Kovind, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and several ministers paid tributes to the BJP stalwart at his memorial ‘Sadaiv Atal’ here.

Modi said on X, Vajpayee’s dedication and spirit of service to the country will be a source of inspiration during the ‘Amrit Kaal’ — the period until the centenary of India’s Independence in 2047.

A great orator, Vajpayee was the popular face of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and then the Bharatiya Janata Party. His acceptability beyond ideological boundaries was a key reason behind the BJP drawing support from many parties as he ran a successful coalition government from 1999 to 2004.