Vajpayee, Modi redefined India’s leadership, says Sudhanshu Trivedi

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi along with Telangana BJP president Kishan Reddy and former Governor Vidyasagar Rao in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

HYDERABAD

In Indian history, only two persons have been born as leaders who later became Prime Ministers — Vajpayee and Modi, said BJP’s Rajya Sabha member and national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, while drawing parallels between former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and current PM Narendra Modi.

While delivering the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Memorial Lecture, organised by the ABV Foundation in Hyderabad on Tuesday, Mr. Trivedi called Hyderabad the best venue for the programme, highlighting the region’s significant contributions during Vajpayee’s leadership. The lecture was organised in the city on Tuesday to kick off the birth centenary celebrations of the late PM.

Mr. Trivedi lauded Vajpayee’s decisive leadership, citing the Pokhran nuclear tests as a landmark moment that showcased India’s strategic capabilities. He noted that Vajpayee’s tenure from 1999 to 2004 witnessed the creation of six crore jobs and substantial foreign exchange growth, which laid the foundation for India’s economic stability. He also credited Vajpayee with launching the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and strengthening India’s nuclear capabilities, which Mr. Modi further expanded.

Former Governor Vidyasagar Rao reflected on Vajpayee’s calm and resolute leadership in crisis, including the 2001 Parliament attack. “Vajpayee ensured that democracy prevailed, with Parliament functioning as usual the very next day,” Mr. Rao said. He also spoke of Vajpayee’s foresight during the Emergency era and his ability to unify diverse political ideologies under a common vision.

Mr. Rao praised Vajpayee’s contributions to infrastructure development through the Golden Quadrilateral project and his efforts to bolster India’s international standing. He urged the BJP to uphold Vajpayee’s vision of a caste-free society and a governance model rooted in nationalism and inclusivity.

Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy shared personal anecdotes from his interactions with Vajpayee, describing him as a selfless leader dedicated to the ideology of nationalism.

“Vajpayee was instrumental in creating three new states — Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand — without compromising on national integrity,” he said, adding that the centenary celebrations would continue until December 2025.