New Delhi: A life-size portrait of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was unveiled by the President in Parliament House on Tuesday morning. Renowned artist Krishn Kanhai of Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh had prepared the portrait of Vajpayee, who served as Prime Minister three times between 1996 and 2004.

President Ram Nath Kovind unveiled the portrait in the Central Hall of Parliament House in the presence of ministers, and leaders of various parties. On the occasion, PM Narendra Modi said "Atal Ji had a long political career, a large part of that career was spent in opposition. Yet, he continued raising issues of public interest and never ever deviated from his ideology."

The decision in this regard was taken unanimously on December 18, last year at a meeting of the parliament's portrait committee chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, Deputy Speaker and AIADMK leader M. Thambi Durai, BJD's Bhratruhari Mahtab, TMC's Sudip Bondopadhyay, TRS' Jithendra Reddy, Shiv Sena's Ananth Geete and BJP's Satyanarayan Jatia had attended the meeting.

Vajpayee became the Prime Minister for the first time in 1996 for 13 days, then for 13 months from 1998 to 1999, and then from 1999 to 2004.

He passed away on August 16, 2018 at the age of 93 years after a prolonged illness.

(agency inputs)