CM Sai Pays Tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Calls Chhattisgarh His Enduring Gift

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai pays floral tribute to former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Avanti Vihar Chowk in Raipur on Sunday, August 16, 2026, marking Vajpayee’s death anniversary-Photo Credit: ANI

Chief Minister recalls Vajpayee as the architect of Chhattisgarh, says his politics of principles, dialogue and consensus continues to inspire generations

IN Short

• Sai remembers Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the architect of Chhattisgarh
• CM says the very identity of ‘Chhattisgarh’ is Atal Ji’s enduring gift
• State marks Silver Jubilee year with 25 weeks of programmes
• ‘Atal Nirman Varsh’ gives fresh impetus to infrastructure development
• ‘Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision-2047’ charts roadmap for a developed state
• Sai recalls hearing Vajpayee in Parliament and praises his politics of principles and consensus

Raipur: Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai paid tribute to former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee at a programme organised at Avanti Vihar Chowk in Raipur on his death anniversary on Sunday August 16, 2026 , remembering him not merely as one of India’s most respected statesmen but as the leader who gave Chhattisgarh its identity as a separate state.

Sai garlanded Vajpayee’s statue and offered floral tributes at a programme organised at Avanti Vihar Chowk in Raipur.

Recalling Vajpayee’s historic contribution to the creation of the state, the Chief Minister said the name that millions of people proudly write as part of their address today was itself an enduring gift from the former Prime Minister.

“The word ‘Chhattisgarh’, which we, the residents of the state, use in our addresses today, is a gift from revered Atal ji. He will always be remembered as the architect of our state of Chhattisgarh,” Sai said.

Vajpayee was Prime Minister when Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh and came into existence as a separate state on November 1, 2000.

Sai described Vajpayee as a personality of many dimensions who left an unmistakable imprint on journalism, literature and politics.

“Atal ji was a man of multifaceted talent. He established a unique identity as a journalist, poet and politician. Everyone admired his speeches,” the Chief Minister said.

Atal’s Vision Continues to Guide Chhattisgarh: Sai

Connecting Vajpayee’s legacy with the state’s present development journey, Sai said Chhattisgarh was celebrating the Silver Jubilee of its formation through programmes extending over 25 weeks.

He said the celebrations were inseparable from the memory of Vajpayee because the state itself owed its creation to his leadership.

“If we are celebrating the Silver Jubilee year of Chhattisgarh today, it is thanks to Atal ji. Various programmes will be organised by all departments during these 25 weeks,” Sai said.

The Chief Minister said the state had also declared ‘Atal Nirman Varsh’ in Vajpayee’s memory and made a separate budgetary provision to give greater momentum to infrastructure development.

Sai said the best tribute to the former Prime Minister would be to fulfil the objectives and aspirations with which Chhattisgarh was created.

He pointed to the ‘Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision-2047’ as the state’s long-term roadmap for development.

“The greatest achievement of these 25 years is that we have not merely envisioned becoming a developed state in the next 25 years, but have also prepared the ‘Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision-2047’ roadmap to realise this goal,” Sai said.

The occasion also brought back personal memories for the Chief Minister.

Sai recalled that he had the opportunity to serve as a Member of Parliament during Vajpayee’s tenure as Prime Minister and had witnessed his parliamentary presence from close quarters.

“It was my good fortune to be elected as an MP when Atal ji became Prime Minister for the third time. I listened to his speeches in Parliament. We all used to look forward to his addresses in the Lok Sabha,” Sai recalled.

He said Vajpayee’s wit, candour and ability to articulate even complex political arguments made his speeches memorable.

Sai also recalled being present during the parliamentary proceedings surrounding the creation of Chhattisgarh. He remembered the contribution of the state’s then Rajya Sabha members, the late Lakhi Ram Agrawal and the late Dilip Singh Judeo, who presented their views during the debate.

For Sai, however, Vajpayee’s legacy went beyond the creation of Chhattisgarh or his achievements as Prime Minister. He said Vajpayee represented a political tradition in which principles and values remained important even amid intense differences.

“Atal ji taught us to remain steadfast in our principles. He gave priority to politics rooted in principles and values,” Sai said.

The Chief Minister said Vajpayee demonstrated through his public life that politics should not be reduced merely to acquiring or retaining power.

“Atal ji’s life stands as proof that politics is not merely a means to attain power, but also an art of dialogue, consensus and empathy. His words still resonate in our hearts,” Sai said.

MLA Purandar Mishra and State Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Corporation Chairman Sanjay Shrivastava also addressed the gathering.

Kishore Mahanand, Jayanti Patel, office-bearers of the Avanti Vihar Traders’ Association and other prominent citizens were present at the programme.