New Delhi, Nov 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited the residence of veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani to extend birthday greetings as the senior politician entered the 100th year of his life. Several prominent political leaders, including former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, former President Ram Nath Kovind and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, also conveyed their wishes, highlighting Advani's contributions to Indian politics.

In a post on X, Deve Gowda described Advani as a close friend who had devoted his life to public service. He wished the veteran leader good health and happiness as he entered his centenary year.

Recalling their longstanding association, Deve Gowda said their friendship dated back more than five decades, beginning during the Emergency period. Former President Ram Nath Kovind also greeted Advani on his birthday, noting that his entry into the 100th year offered an occasion for the nation to reflect on his decades-long public life and contribution to national affairs.

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Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad described the occasion as particularly significant, saying Advani was entering his 100th year. He also highlighted an article penned by Prime Minister Modi on Advani's political journey, which appeared in several newspapers on Sunday.

Tracing Advani's journey from the aftermath of Partition to his emergence as a prominent political figure, Prasad recalled his association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Jana Sangh and the BJP. He credited Advani with strengthening the party's ideological foundations and expanding its organisational presence across the country.

Prasad also highlighted Advani's role in the Ayodhya movement, saying it gave greater prominence to the idea of cultural nationalism. He recalled his tenure as Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, particularly his contribution to national security, and credited his efforts towards the formation of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand.

Sharing details of his birthday visit, Prasad said he had met Advani to convey his greetings and seek his blessings. He recalled that the veteran leader responded with a faint smile when he introduced himself by his name, Ravishankar.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi had penned an article reflecting on Advani's enduring contribution to the country. Recalling the veteran leader's experience of Partition in 1947, Modi wrote that Advani had to leave behind his home in Sindh but rebuilt his life without harbouring bitterness.

The Prime Minister said this resilience remained a defining feature of Advani's political journey, including his efforts to strengthen the Jana Sangh and build the BJP into a major national political force.

Highlighting the party's electoral growth under Advani's leadership, Modi recalled that the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the 1996 Lok Sabha elections. He also pointed to the party's rise in the late 1980s, when the Congress's tally declined significantly in the 1989 general elections.

Modi further credited Advani with nurturing generations of party workers and establishing a strong organisational foundation guided by the principle of 'Nation First'. (With ANI inputs)