Atal Bihari Vajpayee dies: PM Modi remembers BJP stalwart, says 'I have lost my father figure'

Atal Bihari Vajpayee dies: PM Modi paid his last respects to Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence.

Prime Minister paid tribute to former PM at the latter's residence in Delhi. (ABP Live)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the passing away of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee marks the end of an era and termed it as a "personal and irreplaceable" loss for him and for the nation. Prime Minister paid tribute to former PM at the latter's residence in Delhi. While addressing the country, PM Modi said that with the death of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, India has lost its 'anmol ratna'. PM said that the demise of the BJP stalwart is as if he has lost his father. "His demise has marked the end of an era. In Atal ji's passing away, it is as if I have lost my father. It's a void which can never be filled," PM Narendra Modi said. Watch video - PM Modi further said, "Atal ji was a leader, orator, journalist, statesman and more than anything a true son of India." PM paid his last respects to Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence. Watch video- Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on Thursday evening following a prolonged illness. He breathed his last at 5:05 pm at All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. He was 93. Taking a note from the sad news, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and expressed his grief over the loss of the veteran BJP leader in a serries of Tweet. In his initial tweet, a deeply emotional one in Hindi, read, "I'm speechless, I feel a great void". PM further wrote, "India grieves the demise of our beloved Atal Ji. His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP Karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness. Om Shanti."