For Mahajan, fond thoughts across political spectrum

But it was BJP leader, friend and brother-in-law Gopinath Munde who made the most moving speech. ‘‘From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, in every city and village, in temples, churches, dargahs, mosques and gurudwaras, people prayed for his recovery,’’ he said. ‘‘And in hospital, Pramodji was fighting, fighting hard. But god was cruel, he didn’t pay heed to lakhs of prayers.’’

Munde spoke of the friendship they’d nurtured over four years in college, after their group members won college elections, their time in jail together during the 21-day Marathwada Vikas Aandolan in the 1970s and then Emergency in 1975-76. ‘‘In jail, he’d sing Ban ke hawa ka jhonkha, main to ud jaoonga (Like a burst of breeze, I’ll take flight),’’ he said. ‘‘He wasn’t even in jail now, but he still flew away anyway, leaving us so very alone,’’ he said, voice unsteady.

Pawar, who’d been introduced to Mahajan in the 1970s by RSS sanghatak Vasant Bhagwat, tracked the rise of a leader from little Ambejogai to the national stage. ‘‘An excellent leader, an excellent speaker, an excellent thinker is no longer with us,’’ he said.