<span style="color: #222222;">Condolences are pouring in from all quarters following the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have expressed grief at the passing away of the former Prime Minister. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">President Kovind described Vajpayee as a true Indian statesman saying his leadership, foresight, maturity and eloquence put him in a league of his own. He said Atalji, the Gentle Giant, will be missed by one and all. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In his condolence message, Vice President Naidu said  Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a friendly and lovable Prime Minister. He said in his passing away, India has lost a multi-faceted 'Ratna. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Vice President said, Vajpayee's life was an open book and guide for aspiring young politicians. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Describing him as a visionary thinker, writer, poet and philosopher, he said, the former Prime Minister's  70 years of public life and parliamentary contributions are now part of India's history. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In his condolence message, Mr Modi said, India grieves the demise of the beloved leader and his passing away marks the end of an era. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He said it was Vajpayee's exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Modi also said that the futuristic policies of the former Prime Minister across various sectors touched the lives of each and every citizen of India.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister said it is a personal and irreplaceable loss for him as he has countless fond memories. He said, Vajpayee was inspiration to BJP party workers like him and will be remembered  for his sharp intellect and outstanding wit.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Modi said that it was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atal Bihari Vajpayee that the BJP was built brick by brick.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Former President Pranab Mukherjee described Vajpayee as a democrat to the core saying he had dominated the opposition space like a titan and led the government with aplomb. </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, Vajpayee was an excellent orator, an impressive poet, an exceptional public servant, an outstanding Parliamentarian and a great Prime Minister. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">BJP President Amit Shah expressed his grief saying Atal ji was a popular national leader who used power as a tool to serve the people and he led an unblemished political life without compromising with national interest. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Veteran BJP leader and close colleague of the late leader, Lal Krishna Advani said, Atalji will be remembered as the pioneer of the first ever stable non-Congress coalition government at the Centre. </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Congress President Rahul Gandhi said, India lost a great son who was loved and respected by millions. He said, Vajpayee will be missed.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore said, Vajpayee was a daring Prime Minister who made Pokhran possible, a highly principled politician and a poet of inspirational grit who was admired across party lines.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Other Union Ministers including Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley,  Ravi Shankar Prasad, Ram Vilas Paswan, also condoled Vajpayee's death.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Maharastra, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Assam, Tripura  Uttarakhand and others also expressed their condolences.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">RSS Chief  Mohan Bhagwat, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sharad Yadav of Loktantrik Janata Dal, CPIM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and others  also expressed their grief. </span><br />